


Where There's Smoke, There's Fire

by dweetwise



Category: Dead by Daylight (Video Game)
Genre: AU: no Entity, Alternate Universe - Normal Life, Awkward First Times, Awkward Flirting, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dirty Talk, First Meetings, First Time Blow Jobs, Fluff, Huddling For Warmth, M/M, One Night Stands, Oral Sex, Praise Kink, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-15 05:09:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28933059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dweetwise/pseuds/dweetwise
Summary: Standing in a hotel parking lot and freezing his ass off in the middle of the night, Felix decides this is officially his worst business trip to date.A chatty stranger offering to share a blanket with him quickly makes him rethink that evaluation.
Relationships: Felix Richter/Ace Visconti
Comments: 8
Kudos: 60





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> written for a prompt from dailyau on tumblr <3

It's surprising just how scattered the human brain becomes during a crisis.

When Felix was woken from his restless sleep in the hotel bed by a blaring fire alarm, he'd bolted out of the bed and scrambled out into the hallway without second thought. He'd probably even left the door to his room wide open, with his wallet, passport, phone and laptop all neatly arranged on the desk for anyone to walk by and steal.

And now he's standing in the parking lot in the chilly late summer night, dressed in nothing but his pajama pants and a t-shirt. His socks were drenched as soon as he stepped outside, running straight into a puddle while hurrying to get away from the potential fire.

At least he's not alone in the stressful predicament. There's plenty of other people around, looking just as lost and dazed as him, having been forced to evacuate the hotel in the middle of the night. Most have been sensible enough to bring their jackets and shoes, a couple of kids even huddling beneath a hotel duvet.

And since there's no sign of a fire or even any smoke, Felix feels like an idiot for not having the foresight to bring something to warm him up.

The firefighters have just arrived at the scene and are preparing to search the building for the source of the alarm. Felix tries not to shiver even more as he relents to the fact that they're still going to be stuck out there for quite some time.

The crowd in the parking lot is _loud_ , families and partners gossiping amongst themselves, some people even arguing with the staff members about ruining their vacation. Felix wishes they'd just shut up, more than happy to forget this ever happened if he'd just get to curl back under the warm covers of his bed instead of freezing out here.

This trip just kept getting worse. Not only had he been forced to come on only a day's notice, taking over Lauren's business trip across the Atlantic when she'd unexpectedly caught a cold. He’d also had to take a shitty flight route with two extra stops, and his last flight had been no less than six hours late.

When he’d finally arrived at the hotel and started trying to sleep off the massive jet lag after barely getting any sleep on the plane, he'd been rudely awakened by an emergency. And now, to add insult to injury, he’s gone from the threat of burning to death to freezing to death.

“Hey,” a voice says from right beside him, making Felix jolt in surprise over being distracted from his internal pity party.

He sees a man standing next to him, wrapped in a hotel-issued blanket, looking up at him with curious brown eyes and a pleasant smile.

Felix racks his brain for if he knows this man or not, but draws up a blank, the tiredness and cold making his thoughts feel sluggish. The man is shorter than Felix and looks a little older, if the laugh lines and grey hair are anything to go by.

“You look cold,” the man says. “Wanna share my blanket?”

As the man lifts the fabric just the slightest bit in invitation, mortification hits Felix. Not only is his shivering noticeable enough to warrant someone taking pity on him, he's being offered physical contact from a stranger.

Isn't it a weird thing to offer, especially to another man? Does he somehow _know_ that Felix is gay? Is he making fun of him? Or is it just an American thing? Wouldn't it be weirder for Felix _not_ to accept, since the man has noticed how much he’s freezing?

“Alright,” the man says when Felix isn't replying, lowering the bedding in surrender. “My bad, I just thought—"”

“Yes,” Felix says, interrupting him.

“Uh…” the man says, understandably confused by Felix's social awkwardness.

“Yes, I want to sh-share,” Felix says, another full-body shiver wracking his body.

“Oh! Sure,” the man grins happily, and then he's suddenly _very_ close, shoulder bumping against Felix's chest, and a corner of the blanket is thrown haphazardously over Felix's shoulder.

“T-thank you,” Felix stammers, both from the nerves and the cold, grabbing the soft cotton fabric and pulling it tighter against himself.

And causing the stranger to stumble even closer from the momentum.

“Sure, don't mention it,” the man grins, like he's not now pressed against a stranger's side from shoulder to hip.

Embarrassed as Felix feels, both the blanket and the person attached to it are _warm._ Felix has to stop himself from sighing blissfully as the other's body heat starts to warm him up, slowly working away at the chill in his bones.

“Well, since we're gonna be stuck here for a while,” the man muses. “My name's Ace.”

“F-F-Felix,” Felix manages through clattering teeth.

“I'd shake your hand, but I think we're past that stage already,” Ace jokes, and then offers a pleased grin as Felix huffs out a surprised laugh through his nose. “In any case, it’s nice to meet you, Felix,” the man looks up at him and smiles, and Felix's poor, gay heart skips a beat.

Yeah, this is _definitely_ preferable to freezing to death.

“I wonder how long they'll take to find the cause this time,” Ace starts conversationally, while pulling out his phone from the nest of blankets. He sets to what looks like writing a text to someone, not seeming the least bit bothered by their predicament.

“You don't seem very nervous,” Felix observes.

“Not my first rodeo,” Ace looks up and grins. “Probably someone just smoked inside and tripped the alarm. Happens a lot in hotels.”

“D-d-do you travel? A lot?” Felix asks, partly do distract himself from the cold while he gets his body heat up, partly to divert Ace’s attention from his phone.

“You could say that,” Ace says. “What about you? Here on business?”

“Yes,” Felix says, with no small amount of annoyance over being reminded he still has work tomorrow. “Thankfully my meeting isn't until the afternoon.”

“Glad you can get your beauty sleep,” Ace says.

“And hopefully get rid of the jet lag,” Felix comments with a tired sigh.

Ace hums in acknowledgement before going back to his phone message. Felix tries not to take it personally; he knows he's not that interesting to talk to.

Ace is so warm, and it's a little awkward being pressed this close, but embarrassingly enough, Felix finds himself drifting even closer. Ace smells like whiskey and cheap cologne, but somehow, it's oddly comforting. He'd probably been drinking last night—well, technically tonight. Thankfully, he doesn't seem drunk, as Felix doubts he would have had the patience to deal with alcohol-induced rambling.

“Whiskey man, I see,” Felix comments. When Ace looks up from his phone in surprise, Felix realize how weird it is for him to admit to smelling the man.

“I reek that bad, huh?” Ace grins, taking the comment in stride.

“I didn't mean—” Felix flounders to explain.

Damnit, he should just give up on trying to make conversation.

“Wow, lighten up,” Ace says and elbows him playfully under the blanket, adding even _more_ physical contact to their already borderline inappropriate situation.

Felix tries to ignore the fluttering in his gut when he feels Ace's hairy forearm brush against his own. This is more physical contact than he's gotten from another man… probably ever.

“Yeah, I had a few drinks earlier. I'm more of a wine man, but…” Ace seems to ponder. “Sometimes, you've got to try new things.”

Like huddling under a blanket with an attractive stranger, Felix considers.

Suddenly, he almost regrets the blanket blocking his view from seeing more of the man. His body feels firm against Felix's, and his shoulders look defined, though that could just be an illusion from the thick fabric covering them.

“What’s your poison?” Ace asks, following Felix's awkward silence.

“I don't drink much,” Felix lies, like he hasn’t been going through his father’s old liquor collection at an alarming rate for the past year or so. “Uhm… whiskey, I guess. And bourbon.”

He could really, _really_ go for either one right now. Not only would the drinks warm him up, they'd also make him act like an actual human being instead of the stiff robot impression he's currently doing.

“Huh,” Ace comments.

“What?” Felix asks, trying not to get defensive.

“Nothing! I would have pegged you as a beer guy, is all,” Ace muses. “Maybe that's just the accent, though.”

“Sorry,” Felix apologizes. Now hyperaware of his bad pronunciation and extremely German accent, he tries to bury his face deeper into the blanket in embarrassment.

“Naw, hey, come on,” Ace turns toward him as much as the cramped space allows him to. “Your English is amazing! The accent only adds charm.”

Felix looks at Ace's encouraging smile and tries not to think too much about their thighs now pressing together. Ace is clearly waiting for him to say something, but all Felix can focus on is his warm body and striking features.

“Where are you from?” Felix asks instead, trying to place the hint of an accent he thinks he hears.

“Huh. Good catch,” Ace smiles, seeming surprised. “Guess!”

Felix flushes and looks at Ace's eagerly grinning face. It's nighttime, but Ace's skin seems darker than his own, and his features look Mediterranean, reminding Felix of countless business trips to Spain. But the accent…

“Italy?” Felix suggests, and Ace's smile somehow widens even further.

“Close!” Ace says. “Argentina.”

“Ehm…” Felix furrows his brow in confusion, thinking that _surely_ , being a whole continent and world sea off doesn't exactly count as "close".

“My family hails from Italy, and it's my native language,” Ace explains. “So it was a really good guess!”

“Thank you…?” Felix says awkwardly.

“I'd ask what _you_ were doing when the alarm went off, but…” Ace pauses, glancing up at his disheveled hair. “From your outfit choice and the bedhead, I'd put 50 bucks on 'sleeping'."

“You'd be correct,” Felix murmurs, self-consciously poking his hand out from under the blanket to run through his tousled hair. “I'm not very interesting.”

“I think I'll be the judge of that," Ace grins. “If, uh… you don't mind chatting to pass the time?”

“Not at all,” Felix says, hoping he doesn't sound too eager, happy Ace deems him interesting enough to talk to instead of whoever he was texting earlier.

They spend some twenty minutes chatting about mostly insignificant things. But as much as Felix usually hates small talk, he now welcomes it, because Ace is asking him interesting questions instead of just talking about the weather. He appears to genuinely care about Felix's story, and Felix might end up sharing a little too much, from the work stress and business trip he didn't even want to come to, all the way to his relationship that ended a few weeks ago.

Ace seems friendly and pleasant, taking Felix's awkward pauses and nervousness in stride, filling in the silences with stories of his own. Felix hears a lot about the different places he's traveled to, along with some hotel horror stories that make him feel much better about the current fire alarm situation. He manages a few laughs, some merely polite, but some genuinely amused at Ace's over-the-top storytelling.

Eventually, Ace's phone beeps again and he excuses himself and engrosses himself momentarily in the screen, and this time, Felix welcomes the brief break in socializing.

He realizes just how _nice_ this is. It feels like a stroke of luck that only a few short weeks after ending his relationship with his ex-girlfriend and coming out in the process, he'd meet a handsome stranger this eager to cuddle up to him.

 _Not_ cuddle up—share a blanket, Felix mentally berates himself.

He glances at Ace out of the corner of his eye, seeing his side profile illuminated by the dim glow from the phone screen. Felix never really considered what his type would be, apart from the all-encompassing "men" that he'd only recently come to accept about himself. But taking in Ace's defined features and the smile that seems to be a permanent part of his face, he's starting to get an idea.

Quickly looking away before Ace catches him staring, Felix suddenly feels almost _too_ warm. He shouldn't get ahead of himself; even though It feels like Ace is being a little too friendly, he hasn't actually made a move, seeming happy just with chatting to kill time.

Felix briefly toys with the idea of placing his hand on Ace's hip in a loose embrace, just to test the waters. He'd never be that brave, but if he was, he'd at least know for sure, even if it would probably end in Ace being disgusted and kicking him out of the blanket cocoon.

But… maybe he wouldn’t. Maybe he’d smile even wider and return the gesture, just as eager as Felix to get even closer. Felix would wrap his arms around him, and they'd stand there cuddling and sharing even more body heat, maybe even kissing—

 _Shit_. This is exactly what his therapist said he shouldn't do, the term "excessive daydreaming" flashing in his mind.

“Sorry,” Ace is saying, turning back to face him and pocketing the phone, completely oblivious to Felix's internal dilemma. “Where were we?”

“I, uh,” Felix stammers.

Was just thinking about kissing you.

“Did I tell you about the time a bunch of college kids decided to set off fireworks in the hotel room next to mine?” Ace offers, saving Felix from floundering for a topic.

“What—why would they…?” Felix asks.

“Well, I'd just gotten back from this extravagant New Years party—” Ace excitedly starts telling yet another story, and Felix keenly starts listening in.

Ace seems to be completely in his element, getting lost in talking about just how fancy the party was, followed by a dramatic retelling of some very incredulously sounding explosions that turned out to be fireworks. Felix keeps listening raptly, not entirely sure about the accuracy of the story, but enjoying seeing the other so happy. The blanket occasionally shifts as Ace tries to gesture with his hands to add to the narration, only to remember that he can't, looking sheepish every time.

Felix has never met someone with such effortless charisma. Ace's voice is rich and pleasant, and Felix briefly zones out while he imagines it talking him to sleep.

It's stupid, and he knows it. He's only known the man for half an hour, and even "knowing" him is pushing it. Felix is only in the country for two more days, and he’s very aware that pursuing anything would be pointless.

But he also knows that given the chance, he wouldn't say no to seeing Ace again. Maybe it’s the sleep deprivation, the narrowly averted emergency, or simply being far away from home and realizing nobody would ever find out. Either way, he’s feeling more adventurous than usual, the adrenaline in his veins and butterflies in his gut keeping his tired body on high alert.

Too bad he's deathly afraid of rejection and would never dare to ask if the other is interested.

Suddenly, there's the screech of a PA system, and Ace stops mid-sentence, both of them turning to look at a firefighter speaking into a megaphone.

“The fire has been extinguished and the building is now safe. Please return to your rooms,” the fireman announces.

The horde of people immediately start flocking towards the hotel entrance at the same time, creating an annoyed crowd of freezing, grumpy people and managing to clog the entryway immediately.

“I wonder what the cause was,” Felix ponders out loud, not making an effort to move toward the commotion and get stuck between the shoving, complaining people.

“Who cares? We get to not freeze our asses off anymore!” Ace exclaims gleefully.

And Felix realizes they no longer have a reason to stay huddled up together. Reluctantly slipping away from under the blanket, he feels a disappointed pang in his chest over how happy Ace sounds to get rid of him.

“Thank you for lending your blanket,” Felix says, handing his side of the fabric back over to Ace and trying not to shiver as the cold of the night hits his warm skin.

“My pleasure! Thanks for keeping me warm!” Ace quips cheerfully, wrapping the item tighter around himself.

“Ehm… you as well,” Felix says, looking away so Ace doesn't see his face heating up.

“Come on, let's get you inside!” Ace prompts, and then he leans into Felix and shoves him lightly with a blanket-clad shoulder.

It's clearly in an intent to encourage Felix to move, but it still makes newfound hope blossom in his chest. They’re no longer forced to tolerate each other if they don't want to freeze, but Ace still seems far from repulsed by him.

“Right,” Felix says, starting the short trek to the hotel entrance that has thankfully cleared up from people.

“So…” Ace drawls, easily falling into step next to him. “Can I have your number?”

Felix glances at him and blinks in confusion. Is… is Ace asking him out? Or just being polite? Is he going to ask to be added on Facebook too, like all the weird colleagues Felix has met on business trips once and then never heard from again?

“For...?” Felix manages to ask when they arrive at the entrance, reaching for the door and holding it open for the man.

“Just wondering if you wanted to grab some drinks while you're still in town,” Ace says when he slips past Felix into the building. “I wouldn't mind getting to know you better,” Ace adds, looking him up and down with a smile that is _definitely_ not just friendly.

Heat rises up Felix's neck from more than just the warm air of the hotel lobby. Clearly, he wasn’t the only one sensing the tension between them.

“Maybe,” Felix says, trying and probably failing to not seem way too enthusiastic.

“Oh?” Ace says, quirking an eyebrow. And then he's shrugging off the blanket, revealing a rolled-up, button-up shirt and—

 _Fuck_. Broad shoulders and a lean build, that sure as hell doesn't make Felix's predicament any easier.

Felix definitely stares longer than appropriate while they continue walking to the elevator, Ace thankfully too busy with bunching up the blanket to notice his ogling.

“What…" Felix starts, making Ace look at him, cocking his head. "Uhm. What's with the sudden interest?”

“I mean,” Ace says, shooting him pointed look. “I was interested ever since I saw you there, shivering in your ridiculously tight T-shirt,” he winks.

Felix realizes that the shirt probably leaves a lot less to the imagination than the suits and blazers he always wears. He lifts a hand to his arm in a self-conscious manner, making an attempt to cover himself.

“But I didn't wanna freak you out,” Ace adds, giving a one-shoulder shrug. “Would have been pretty awkward if you said no, considering you were kinda stuck with me for a bit.”

That's… oddly sweet, and very much appreciated. Felix would probably have imploded on himself from embarrassment if Ace would have been this forward from the start.

“Thank you,” Felix says.

“No worries,” Ace grins, pushing the button to order the elevator. “So? _Are_ you freaked out?”

Felix considers the question for a moment, only arriving at variations of "no", "I'm leaving in two days" and "help you're really hot but I've never been with a guy and don't know what to do".

“I think the word is…” Felix pauses in thought, trying to ignore his brain screaming insecurities at him. “'Intrigued'.”

Proud of managing to be smooth for once in his life, the ding of the elevator arriving is almost lost on Felix, because he's so focused on Ace's now downright lecherous grin.

But he obediently steps into the elevator, not wanting to keep the few hotel customers still lingering behind them.

“What's you floor, gorgeous?” Ace asks with a flirtatious smile, after pressing the number four.

Wow. How the hell did Felix ever manage to think he was just being friendly?

“Three,” Felix says.

“Looks like you're under me,” Ace flirts while pushing the button for him, making Felix choke on his own spit from the suggestive comment, embarrassed yet curious.

And then Ace clears his throat and averts his eyes as a woman and her daughter walk into the elevator with them.

They stand awkwardly next to each other as the elevator doors slide close. Felix’s thoughts are a mess of excitement, nervousness and embarrassment, not sure what to do in this situation.

He discreetly glances at Ace—

And the other catches him looking.

Felix's heart skips a beat as Ace's lips spread into a lazy grin, eyes shimmering with unspoken promise.

He wonders what it would be like to wipe that grin off the smug man's face. Felix imagines pushing Ace up against the elevator wall, picturing how the other’s eyes would go wide, maybe he'd even gasp, taken off guard at Felix's sudden boldness. Maybe he wouldn't have time to say anything, because Felix would capture his lips in a passionate kiss, and Ace would groan and drop the blanket to tangle his hands in Felix's hair—

DING!

Felix is rudely snapped out of his daydream by the elevator arriving on his floor. He realizes he's been spacing out while staring at Ace's face, and the smirk is gone from the man's lips, but his eyes are somehow even more intense.

“Good night,” Felix offers stiffly, forcing himself to break the eye contact before he gets lost in his own head again.

He takes a step out of the elevator, mentally scolding himself when he notices his racing heart and heavy breathing, getting himself worked up over a dumb fantasy.

Tomorrow, he promises himself when the elevator doors start sliding shut behind him. Tomorrow, he’d go out with Ace and could maybe, hopefully psyche himself up enough to make a move. He'd just text the man in the morning—

Except they never exchanged numbers.

_Shit!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please mind the changed rating! this chapter includes what is probably the most awkward sex scene i've ever written. you have been warned <3

Ace lets his head fall back against the elevator wall with a dull thud, releasing a disappointed sigh as the doors slide shut.

The beautiful man that he _thought_ he'd somehow managed to connect with – and who had been practically eye fucking Ace the entire elevator ride up – had gotten cold feet and left without another word.

He perks up as he hears hurried footsteps from the other side of the wall, causing the elevator to chime as its doors slide back open to reveal a frantic Felix mashing the call button.

Ace fails to hide the surprise on his face and Felix doesn't even seem to try to hide the panic on his, and for a split second they just stare at each other.

“I never gave you my number,” Felix says, hurrying to put his hand on the door to prevent it from closing again.

“You didn't,” Ace agrees, his confusion slowly giving way for realization as it dawns on him that Felix didn't _mean_ to ditch him.

Felix suddenly seems to remember that they have company, looking at the woman and child who he is keeping by holding open the doors, and Ace glances at them too—

Only to see the woman hiding a smile behind her hand.

“You should come to my room,” Felix says, the desperation in his voice making Ace feel glad the blanket covers his midsection, as the implication shoots straight to his groin.

“Thought you'd never ask,” Ace jokes and steps out of the elevator.

Felix lets out a relieved little sigh and lets the doors slide shut behind them.

“It's this way,” the blond says, pointing down the left hallway.

“After you,” Ace grins, and Felix leads them down the corridor.

“You know, you're a little hot and cold,” Ace, predictably, can't stop running his mouth to fill in the silence while they walk.

“Sorry,” Felix apologizes, glancing at him apologetically.

“That wasn't a complaint,” Ace points out. “Keeps me on my feet. I like it.”

Felix offers a small smile and ducks his head in embarrassment, but then he suddenly seems to realize something.

“Shit,” Felix says, patting the pockets of his sweatpants.

“Oh. You probably don't have your keycard,” Ace realizes.

“No, I—” Felix flounders. “But I left my door open… I think. If not, I'll get one from the reception. Sorry.”

“Hey, no worries,” Ace says. “You can come to mine too. I mean, i-if you want.”

What the hell? Did he just _stutter?_ Felix’s nervousness must be affecting Ace more than he thought.

“Thank you,” Felix says. “I just—let me check the door first.”

“Of course,” Ace agrees.

Felix's room is only a little further along the hallway, and when they get to it, they notice the door is slightly ajar. Felix carefully pushes it open and peers inside, like expecting something from a horror movie to pop up.

“Expecting company?” Ace asks.

“I—” Felix flinches, startled. “I thought maybe someone came in here when the door was open. It's kind of stupid. Sorry.”

“Naw, hey, better safe than sorry,” Ace offers.

He follows a now bolder Felix into the room, toeing off his soaked shoes by the coat rack and dropping the crumpled blanket in a corner by the door.

Felix goes to meticulously check his belongings, and it's not exactly the passionate getting-shoved-against-the-door-and-kissed-silly Ace was expecting, but he patiently waits for the other to finish his inspection.

Ace's phone vibrates in his pocket and he has half a mind to shoot the sender a message along the lines of "STOP SPAMMING I'M GETTING LAID". He decides he can gloat tomorrow, figuring that managing to pick up a hot guy in a parking lot during a fire definitely warrants it.

“Everything is the way I left it,” Felix finally announces, clear relief on his features.

“That's great,” Ace offers, trying to sound encouraging despite feeling very out of place.

Maybe he should cut the guy some slack; Felix is obviously not used to this, if his anxious demeanor is anything to go by. Felix only now seems to remember his wet socks, sitting down by the desk to remove them and hang them neatly on the backrest to dry while Ace hovers awkwardly in the middle of the room.

“Right, let me get my phone,” Felix says, and when he reaches for the item, Ace isn't quick enough to mask his shocked expression.

Felix was... really just going to give him his number and send him on his way?

“ _Oh,_ ” Felix suddenly says, frozen in place.

“What's up?” Ace asks pleasantly, quickly putting on a carefree smile.

“I—well, you probably think I asked you here for, um,” Felix stammers.

Well. Yes.

“I thought you just wanted to give me your number,” Ace lies.

“And—other things,” Felix confesses, looking away in embarrassment.

“ _Oh?_ ” Ace parrots with a grin, dropping his voice low since Felix is clearly trying to make some sort of move. “ _Do_ share.”

“I just…” Felix hesitates self-consciously.

There's not much Felix could say that Ace would refuse, but he tries not to get his hopes up while he patiently waits for the other to continue.

“Maybe kissing?” Felix manages, and Ace _definitely_ approves of that suggestion. “And—perhaps, you could… stay the night?” Felix adds, a little braver, seeing Ace's pleased grin.

“That sounds _wonderful,_ ” Ace agrees, eager at the chance to get close to the man and his ridiculously hot body again.

“If… if you're fine with no—you know,” Felix flushes and scratches at his neck, and Ace briefly wonders how the hell he managed to expect to get laid when the guy can't even say the word 'sex'.

“More than fine—promise," Ace says, and then promptly realizes something crucial that would have put a damper on his plans in the first place. "And I wouldn't even have had anything on me, either,” Ace admits.

Felix's brow furrows in confusion.

“Your keycard?” Felix asks, delightfully naive.

“Lube and condoms,” Ace clarifies with an amused huff, pleased with the way Felix's face flares an even deeper shade of red.

“Oh. Right,” Felix says sheepishly.

“Well, I'm here for whatever else you wanna do, from your list or outside it,” Ace says, plopping himself down on the foot of the bed and leaning back in what he hopes is an inviting way.

The conversation has been a little of a mood killer and he feels uncharacteristically nervous. The tiredness after the cold is starting to set in, and Ace is half-tempted to throw in the towel if Felix continues freaking out on him.

But Felix is quick to join him on the bed, sitting down next to him. There's a beat of awkward silence and Ace is just about to suggest they call it a night and maybe continue another day…

Until Felix leans in and kisses him and Ace's tiredness and doubts instantly evaporate.

Felix's lips are hesitant at first, curiously pressing down on Ace's own. Ace hums in encouragement and wraps an arm around Felix's neck while returning the kiss, and there's a sharp intake of breath against his lips before Felix seems to get the needed reassurance to continue.

Ace quickly learns that Felix is a gentle kisser. He kisses like he's afraid Ace will break, soft pecks in between tenderly moving their lips together, showing much more finesse than Ace would have ever expected.

And it's embarrassing how effective it is on Ace. When Felix's hand comes up to gently cup his cheek, Ace lets out a low moan, startling himself.

Sure, he's easy, but he's not normally _this_ easy. He was prepared for a quick, hard fuck but somehow, a stupid kiss is making his heart race just as fast as if Felix had gone straight to grab at his junk.

Felix pulls away from the kiss, and Ace tries to collect himself enough not to show how much it affected him.

“Was that alright?” Felix asks, his face a charming shade of pink.

“What do you think?" Ace asks with a grin and a raised eyebrow, running his hand over Felix's shoulder in reassurance, just in case his meaning wasn't clear enough.

“Sorry,” Felix apologizes again, but he's smiling, which is delightful to see. “I've never kissed a man before.”

…Hold on. _What?_

This… _hunk_ that had been eyeing Ace half of the night and easily went along with his flirting hadn't so much as kissed a man before? _Ever?_

“That's… probably not very reassuring to hear,” Felix seems to realize, looking embarrassed as he leans away. “Sorry.”

“You've _got_ to stop apologizing,” Ace grins, leaning right after him. “I'm sorry for not realizing you were a baby gay. I probably came on a little too strong, before.”

“It's fine,” Felix says, smiling shyly. “I would never have had the guts to make the first move.”

“Hey, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take,” Ace says, adding a cheesy wink. “I wasn't gonna let a pretty little thing like you walk away without trying my luck.”

Felix chuckles at that and there's suddenly a stupid fluttering in Ace's gut. He's probably just hungry.

“Do you still want to stay?” Felix asks hesitantly, looking at him with those gorgeous, blue puppy eyes.

“If you’ll let me,” Ace jokes, placing a hand on Felix's knee to reassure him.

“Please,” Felix says, and Ace leans in for another kiss just to test the waters.

When Felix only welcomes the kiss, even leaning forward to meet Ace's lips with the same gentleness as before, Ace smiles in approval before pulling away.

He doesn't go far, leaning back just enough to look at Felix's face. The shy man is smiling, the worry lines on his face smoothing out as he finally seems to relax.

And there’s no denying that he also looks tired as all hell.

“You wanna call it a night?” Ace murmurs, stroking Felix's knee from where his hand is still placed on it.

“Not particularly,” Felix murmurs fondly in return. “But I probably should, before I pass out on you.”

“There's no way I'd be able to lift a giant like you onto the bed, so that's probably for the best,” Ace jokes.

They get up from the bed, Felix pulling back the covers while Ace gets himself ready for sleep.

Ace unbuttons his shirt and shrugs it off his shoulders, half-assedly folding it on top of the dresser so it's not _too_ wrinkly for his walk of shame tomorrow. He unbuckles his belt and unbuttons his slacks, and—

Catches Felix staring at him, tucked comfortably between the covers while Ace unknowingly puts up a show.

“Are you peeking?” Ace scolds playfully, trying to shove down the sudden insecurity of being shirtless in front of the other.

He's never been particularly self-conscious about his body, but then again, most of his previous partners haven't had Felix's face and build. Compared to Felix's biceps and defined torso, Ace feels scrawny, and he's suddenly very aware of the softness around his gut.

Instead of being embarrassed or apologizing again, Felix just offers a tired little smirk.

“Come to bed,” Felix murmurs and looks at him through half-lidded, sleepy eyes, making Ace hurry to get out of his pants.

Offering a silent thank you to himself for having had the foresight to wear underwear today, Ace slips between the covers of the crisp hotel sheets, welcomed by the warmth radiating from Felix's body.

“This feels like déjà vu,” Ace offers with a grin as they lay next to each other under the duvet.

And then his heart skips a beat as Felix immediately presses close and buries his face against Ace's shoulder. Ace hadn't really expected the ordeal to involve cuddling, but he's not complaining.

“Is this okay?” Felix asks, lifting his head just enough to ask.

“ _Hell yeah_ it’s okay,” Ace purrs, forgoing laying stiffly on his back in favor of turning over on his side to face the beautiful man.

Now face to face, sleepy Felix looks gorgeous, still nervous but not nearly as much as before, seeming comfortable and very happy with his situation.

Ace welcomes it when Felix tilts his head up for a soft kiss. His arms wrap around Felix's muscular back and Felix's settle around his waist, and the tired man presses even closer against his body while their lips move unhurriedly against each other.

Feeling the handsome man so close and smoothing his hands over Felix’s broad back, Ace can't help getting lost in the kiss. Instinctively, he tries to deepen it, and is thrilled when Felix eagerly parts his lips.

Licking into Felix's mouth and hearing the other let out a beautiful moan only spurs Ace on. He passionately kisses his gorgeous bedmate, pressing their tongues together, pulling soft sounds from Felix’s throat. He's so turned on—

Fuck. Right. He's _not_ supposed to be having sex tonight.

“Shit,” Ace says, breathless, pulling away from the kiss. “I got a little carried away. My bad.”

Felix is panting, looking at him with lust-clouded eyes and his lips glistening wetly from their spit. The sight does absolutely nothing to calm the very interested problem in Ace's underwear.

“Tomorrow,” Felix says, making Ace confused yet hopeful. “We should go out tomorrow.”

“Oh?” Ace grins, playing along, running one of his hands down Felix's side as he leans closer. “Would you let me take you out for dinner?”

Felix smiles shyly and nods, and Ace can’t wrap his head around how anyone can be so goddamn awkward but still so _adorable._

“Would you invite me up after?” Ace murmurs, rubbing circles on Felix's hipbone through the pajama pants.

“Yes,” Felix sighs, hesitant hands starting to roam over Ace's back following his lead. “…I'm leaving in two days,” he adds, sounding almost sad.

Despite Ace knowing Felix is only here on a business trip and would soon return to Germany, it's still disappointing to hear. Ace hums in acknowledgement and keeps caressing Felix's body, trying not to let his imagination run wild with picturing what Felix might want to do to make the most of their short time together.

“And I want you to fuck me before that,” Felix adds in a sleep-rough voice and Ace's grip tightens on the man's hip as his dick springs back to life in the confinement of his underwear.

“Holy fuck, babe,” Ace groans in arousal. “I thought you were shy?”

“Too fucking tired,” Felix says, his head slumping further into the pillow. “That was my plan and I thought I'd let you in on it.”

“You wanna know what _my_ plan is for tomorrow?” Ace asks, not bothering to hide the excitement in his voice.

“Tell me,” Felix murmurs, hands pressing firmly into Ace's back to pull him closer, looking up at him in intrigue.

“After you’re done with work, you call me and I take you out for a nice dinner. I get to hear more about you, and you get to listen to more of my shitty stories; win-win," Ace quips, and Felix huffs out a small chuckle in response.

"Then, we get back here, maybe stop by the lobby bar downstairs for a glass of whiskey or bourbon, just to warm up, you know?” Ace continues.

Felix smiles happily, maybe thrilled that Ace remembered his favorite drink.

“After that, you take a nice, long bath—do you have a tub?” Ace realizes.

“No.”

“You take a nice, long bath in _my_ room," Ace corrects. "To unwind after the stressful day and forget all about work.”

“And after the bath?” Felix asks, hopeful.

The air feels heavier than before, so Ace decides to take a risk.

“I eat your ass for dessert.”

Ace relishes in the groan he pulls from Felix's throat, as well as the definitive _something_ pressing up against his leg.

“Huh, it almost sounds like you agree with that plan,” Ace leers, teasing, pushing his leg up between Felix's just the tiniest amount.

“Please,” Felix breathes, looking at him through half-lidded eyes, begging for Ace to continue.

“I've got you, babe,” Ace reassures, hugging Felix tighter to himself before dropping his voice low. “You wanna hear more about what I’d do to you?”

Felix doesn’t answer verbally, but the impatient whine and fingers firmly grasping Ace’s hip get the point across. Making a mental note that dirty talk is _very_ effective, Ace decides to go all in.

“Baby, I’d spoil you so good. A dinner and hot bath is nothing compared to how I'd take my time eating you out, get you nice and wet for me,” Ace murmurs, his voice rough from his own arousal starting to cloud his judgement. “I bet you taste incredible.”

“Ace—” Felix gasps, hips pressing more firmly against Ace, Felix's erection rubbing against his thigh through the pajama pants.

“Would you like that, sweetheart?” Ace murmurs sweetly, rubbing Felix's back in encouragement as the man starts desperately grinding up against his leg. “Just laying back and letting me go to town on your gorgeous ass?”

“F-fuck,” Felix sighs shakily, eyes sliding shut and nails digging into Ace's back. “Keep talking,” he demands, breathless.

The requests shoots straight to Ace's dick and overinflated ego. If there's one thing Ace knows how to do, it's run his mouth.

“I'd slowly open you up, make sure you’re more than ready for me,” Ace murmurs. “God, I'd make it so good for you,” he sighs, trying to ignore his own arousal as Felix keeps humping away and grabbing a handful of Ace's chest hair to ground himself. The knowledge that he's turning this shy, proper businessman into an incoherent, needy mess is almost too much for his brain to handle.

“And when you finally beg me to fuck you, it'd be so easy to push inside you,” Ace says. “Fuck, you'd feel amazing. I bet you're gonna be a natural at taking cock.”

Felix moans obscenely and keeps rutting and Ace tries to resist the urge to grab Felix’s dick or roll them over or do _anything_ to get Felix off properly. Even if Felix said he didn't want to have sex and they're basically frotting despite it, he knows there's some boundaries he needs to keep.

“I'll fuck you nice and proper,” Ace breathes, his own dick leaking into his boxers at the mental image. “You don't have to do anything but lay there and take it. And when you come screaming my name, it's gonna be so much better than you've ever felt before, and you’ll wonder how you ever survived without someone fucking you the way you deserve.”

“ _Ace,_ ” Felix moans, just as pretty as in his fantasy, and Ace’s impulse control fails, lowering his hand and grabbing desperately at Felix’s ass.

He groans at the feel of the firm, round flesh jiggling in his hand in time with Felix's single-minded thrusts against his hip.

Felix's hips still momentarily, in either embarrassment or surprise.

“Keep going, babe,” Ace encourages, kneading the flesh, making Felix moan and continue his movement. “You're doing so well. Make yourself feel good.”

Felix buries his face against Ace's neck and whines, and soon his whole body tenses as he comes, hips stuttering and stilling against Ace's.

Ace keeps holding Felix while trying to ignore his own insistently throbbing dick, his heart racing while Felix pants against his chest to collect his breath.

“Sorry—” Felix immediately apologizes when the post-nut clarity seems to hit him, hurrying to pull away and give Ace a panicked look.

“You should go get cleaned up,” Ace manages to suggest with a smile, despite that being the _last_ thing he wants to say.

“I… yes,” Felix relents, getting out of the bed in a haste that Ace tries not to read too much into; the spunk in his pants is probably just really uncomfortable. “I'll be right back,” Felix offers hesitantly, politely, from the doorway to the bathroom.

“Sure,” Ace manages with a shaky grin.

And when the bathroom door slides shut, he barely resists the urge to turn over and scream into the pillow in frustration.

His dick is painfully hard, straining against his boxers with a wet patch already formed on the fabric. He touches the spot and bites back a moan, the slight pressure almost enough to send him over the edge with how high-strung he is.

He's so tempted to either ask Felix for a handjob or make an excuse to bolt back to his own room to jack off.

But he won't. He survived getting beat up by an MMA fighter, he sure as hell can manage one case of blue balls.

Reluctantly, Ace removes his hand from his dick, his body screaming in protest. He just needs to think unsexy thoughts—

Like how the hell he's going to manage to scrounge up enough money to treat Felix to dinner.

Predictably, the thought of his miserable financial situation is like a splash of cold water in his face. Of course he had to go make promises again, ones he knows he won't be able to keep.

Ace's erection quickly dies while he racks his brain for how he's going to deal with the situation. He really _had_ to go to the casino earlier today to continue his three-day losing streak, not to mention use the last of his cash on overpriced whiskey to dull the disappointment afterwards.

Maybe he has something he can pawn. He should still have that watch he… “found” in the previous town. That should fetch him a hundred bucks even if it's fake, and then he can hit the casino to triple those earnings—

Except he'll probably just end up losing everything like he's done the last four days.

Shit, why did he have to suggest dinner? He'd just been thinking about getting to sit down with Felix and talk to him somewhere that _wasn’t_ them freezing their asses off. Felix was probably more than capable of paying for himself, sounding much wealthier than the mid-range hotel and his cheap pajamas would suggest based on their brief conversation earlier. He'd probably kick Ace to the curb as soon as he found out about just how broke he was.

While Ace is staring at the ceiling, trying and failing to come up with a scenario that _doesn’t_ involve going to the casino as soon as he sells the watch tomorrow, the door to the bathroom opens. And out walks a disheveled, sleepy and thoroughly embarrassed Felix.

“Hey, gorgeous,” Ace flirts, immediately perking up upon seeing the handsome man and getting an excuse not to worry about tomorrow.

“Hello,” Felix says, lingering near the door and shuffling his feet awkwardly.

Probably embarrassed about shooting his load rutting against a practical stranger's leg.

“You gonna stand there instead of sleeping?” Ace jokes, hoping to ease Felix’s embarrassment. “A little weird, but I'm not judging.”

Some of the tension seems to clear from Felix's shoulders as he shakes his head, either in denial or amusement, and finally walks back to the bed.

“I'm so sorry about...” Felix apologizes as soon as he sinks down between the covers, looking at Ace with those damn, sad puppy eyes again. “Ähm. _That,_ ” he adds, averting his eyes as some redness spreads on his cheeks.

“I'm not,” Ace leers, leaning over and propping himself up on his elbow to face Felix fully. “Okay, maybe I should have stopped you, seeing as you said you didn't wanna do anything, but...”

Felix looks back at him in question.

“It was hot,” Ace admits shamelessly, making Felix duck his head and hide a smile beneath the darkness of the blanket.

“But you didn't come,” Felix says.

“I'll survive,” Ace reassures with a grin.

Felix doesn't look convinced, but he doesn't argue, either, his head slumping against the pillow as he keeps looking at Ace thoughtfully.

One of the first thing Ace noticed about Felix is that he likes to keep eye contact way longer than most people would be comfortable with. Whether it's to signal that he's not done with the conversation or just a weird quirk, Ace still indulges him, keeping a pleasant smile on his face while Felix seems to consider how to reply.

“Why are you so nice to me?” Felix asks instead, and Ace fails to hide the surprise on his face, that being one of the last things he’d have expected the other to ask.

“What do you mean?”

“First the blanket, and now the—uhm, sex,” Felix falters momentarily. “You're being too nice. What are you after?”

The accusation doesn’t really phase Ace, but it’s reassuring to know that Felix isn’t as naive as he seems. Sure, Ace had briefly considered sneaking into the German’s room tomorrow afternoon because Felix had carelessly let it slip that he'd be away during that time. He’d just as quickly discarded that thought, knowing that a weekend travel bag wasn't worth nearly as much as the fun they could have together. Either way, Felix is definitely close to something by being suspicious, even if this time, it's unnecessary.

“Something you should know about me, is that 99% of the things I do is because I feel like it at the time,” Ace says. “ _Yes,_ I wanted—still want—to get in your pants as soon as I saw you,” he grins, and Felix blushes and adds an adorable little smile. “But why I offered to share a blanket? I don't know. It seemed like a good way to pass the time. Make the best of a shitty situation, you know?”

Felix looks at him weird and it's only then that Ace realizes he should have probably lied and told him it's because he's such a good person that he couldn't stand to see another human being mildly cold for thirty minutes.

“Why did you do any of the things after?" Felix asks.

“Man, you really like to overthink things, huh," Ace offers with a grin. “Hmm… why did I make a move on you? You're cute. You're interesting. I have fun with you.”

Felix smiles again, and it encourages Ace to go on.

“Why did I agree to come to your room? I thought I was getting laid. Why didn't I freak out when you said you didn't want to? Because I'm not a complete dipshit and pressuring people into something they don't want isn't fun for anyone,” Ace keeps listing, and Felix keeps listening raptly, seeming genuinely curious. “Why did I agree to spend the night? Again, you're cute as fuck, and being with you sure as hell beats sleeping alone. Why didn't I stop you making passionate love to my leg?” Ace grins, quirking an eyebrow.

“Oh, god,” Felix groans and buries his face into the pillow in embarrassment over the wording.

“Because you clearly needed to blow off some steam,” Ace continues despite Felix's embarrassment. “Why wasn't I disappointed that I didn't get my rocks off? I mean I am, a little, but I'm also getting really fucking tired and kinda just wanna curl up and sleep. Plus, I'm still holding out hope for tomorrow.”

Felix glances up from the pillow and gives him a promising smile.

“So? Anything else you wanna know?” Ace prods.

“Yes,” Felix admits, finally lifting his head from the pillow. “But it can wait. Maybe… I do sometimes worry too much.”

“That's the spirit!” Ace encourages. “Life's so much easier if you just roll with whatever shit it throws your way. Like instead of being pissed over having to stand in a parking lot for half an hour and worrying about whether all my shit's gonna burn or not, I got to make out with a hot guy and scored a date with him. And I don't know about you, but that's a win in my book."

“You're right,” Felix says, smiling.

“Damn right I am,” Ace grins smugly, and when Felix chuckles adorably, Ace gets the sudden urge to wrap his arms back around him.

“So… You wanna cuddle?” Ace suggests, trying to take his own damn advice of living in the moment.

“If you don't mind,” Felix says, still so polite.

“Get over here,” Ace says with a grin, reaching his arm out invitingly.

Felix immediately scoots closer and into the embrace, Ace's arms back to wrapping around his shoulders. Felix's settle on Ace's back, pressing close and burying his face against Ace's collarbone.

Felix is clearly touch-starved, practically clinging to Ace and pulling him close, sighing in content when Ace brings a hand up to gently cradle the back of his head.

“Mm. You're so comfy,” Ace murmurs into Felix's hair, slowly running his hand through the hairs on the back of Felix’s head.

It's a little weird being the big spoon when Felix is so much taller and bigger than him. Felix’s feet are probably dangling off the foot of the bed from his insistence to curl up against Ace's chest, but he doesn't seem to care.

Felix hums in agreement, his hands on Ace's back slowly starting roaming around to explore his body. And then, he noses into Ace’s chest hair and sighs happily.

“You like it?” Ace teases, having been with plenty of people before who enjoyed running their hands through the thick salt and pepper hairs.

“Your body is amazing,” Felix murmurs sleepily, and Ace's flaccid dick suddenly picks up interest again at the husky tone in his voice.

Felix seems to have found the chub around Ace’s midsection, squeezing his love handles. A sudden burst of insecurity shoots through Ace; he's not usually bothered by being half-naked in front of lovers, and Felix sure as hell didn't seem to mind before, but the again he wasn't _groping_ Ace's biggest insecurity, either.

But instead of being repulsed, Felix tilts his head up sleepily, his nose bumping against Ace's jaw before he seems to find what he's looking for, capturing Ace's lips in a soft kiss.

Felix kisses him gently, almost lazily, while still slowly kneading the flab in his hand and Ace lets out a pleased moan into the kiss. His heart is doing weird leaps in his chest and his face feels warm, Felix's sleepy affection having a bigger effect on him than he'd like to admit.

“Good night, Ace,” Felix murmurs when pulling away, and then he's cuddling right back into Ace's chest.

“Uh,” Ace comments stupidly, still at a loss for words from the gentle kiss. “Sweet dreams, babe,” he eventually offers.

Felix seems to pass out almost immediately, the stressful night and jet lag being too much for his tired body to handle. And Ace is left with his own, confused thoughts while he keeps slowly petting the man's hair and trying to calm his rapidly beating heart.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have a fluffy morning after <3

When Felix wakes up, he immediately notices something is off.

There’s a brief moment of panic when he realizes he’s not in his own bed, the layout of the strange room different than what he’s used to. To make matters worse, someone stirs next to him in the bed, and Felix—

Has his hand on the man’s bicep and has apparently slept curled up next to him.

Ace is still asleep, sprawled out on his back on the hotel bed, snoring softly without a care in the world.

Felix recalls last night. There was the fire alarm, and they’d talked while sharing a blanket for warmth. Then, he’d invited Ace up, they’d kissed, Ace had agreed to stay the night…

… And things had escalated to the point where Felix had come in his pants like a teenager.

Felix buries his face in his pillow in embarrassment and silently wishes the earth would swallow him whole. Nothing about this situation is like him at all; usually, he’s careful to a fault, and having a one-night-stand with a man he just met has been something reserved only for fantasies.

But Ace hadn’t seemed to mind. On the contrary, he’d been understanding and even encouraging, not running for the hills despite Felix’s numerous fuck-ups.

Felix peeks up from the pillow and looks at Ace. Something flutters in his gut upon taking in his bedmate’s relaxed features while he sleeps. And then something different stirs in his groin when he realizes Ace is shirtless, a lean arm stretched behind his pillow, the duvet only covering half of his hairy chest.

It’s embarrassing how much the proximity of a very male body next to Felix is enough to wake his libido, years’ worth of repressed sexuality now hitting him full force. He barely resists the urge to reach out and touch the grey curls, not wanting to wake Ace, since they don’t have anywhere to be—

_Shit!_

Felix bolts up to sit on the bed and frantically glances around the room for a clock, acutely reminded that he’s here for business and not a gay escapade.

“Oof!” Ace protests and flinches awake when Felix accidentally knees him in the ribs.

“Sorry,” Felix apologizes half-heartedly, finally spotting the alarm clock on the nightstand next to Ace.

Seeing the numbers 8:40, Felix immediately sighs in relief and slumps back down on the bed. He still has plenty of time before his business appointment.

“Sleep well?” Ace’s asks, voice groggy with sleep while he blinks awake.

“Yes,” Felix says. “Uhm… and you?” he asks awkwardly, immediately feeling much more self-conscious now that Ace is awake.

“Like a baby,” Ace flashes Felix a grin but doesn’t meet his eyes.

Ace proceeds to sit up, before yawning long and loud, stretching his arms above his head.

And Felix stares like an absolute creep at the way Ace’s shoulder muscles move with the action. He wants to run his hands all over them, thanking his luck that they still have time for a lazy morning under the covers.

“Well, I should probably get out of your hair,” Ace says, shattering Felix’s daydream. “Leave you to prepare for your important meeting.”

Ace pulls the covers away from himself and turns to get out of bed, and Felix wants to protest—

“ _No,_ ” Felix finds himself saying out loud, Ace’s head immediately whipping around to look at him in surprise.

“I, ehm,” Felix starts, clearing his throat self-consciously. “I have time. If you do too,” he manages lamely.

A smile slowly spreads over Ace’s face, making his eyes crinkle at the corners and a familiar warmth sparkle within them.

“It’s kinda chilly, huh?” Ace grins, leaving Felix confused.

“Not particularly—” he starts, feeling almost too warm under the thick duvet.

“We should cuddle for warmth,” Ace interrupts before eagerly slipping back between the covers, making realization dawn on Felix.

“You’re right,” he says, playing along while trying not to smile like an idiot as Ace scoots closer. “I’m very cold.”

“Well, can’t have that, now can we?” Ace smiles, lifting the covers and extending his arm, and Felix gratefully take the opportunity to cuddle up to him.

Sighing blissfully as Ace’s arms wrap around him, Felix buries his face in the crook between Ace’s neck and shoulder.

Making good of his earlier thought, Felix brings one of his hands up from Ace’s back to smooth over the man’s shoulders. Ace hums in approval and starts petting Felix’s hair, and Felix never realized just how nice it is to be held. His few girlfriends were always much more petite than him, and even though Ace is shorter and smaller than him, he’s broader and bigger than a woman and Felix feels safe in his arms.

Felix’s other hand, on its own accord, comes up to rest on Ace’s chest, and it’s only when the man huffs in amusement that Felix realizes he’s been playing with his chest hair again.

And it suddenly hits him just how weird it is that he’s happily cuddling the man he only met _technically_ today without _technically_ even having sex with him.

“This probably isn’t how a normal hook-up goes, huh?” Felix realizes, hesitantly stilling the movement of his hand.

“Not really,” Ace chuckles, the sound reverberating in his chest under Felix’s hand. “But normal’s boring anyway, don’t you think?”

“I suppose,” Felix murmurs with a smile, doubts successfully reassured. On impulse, he places a soft peck on Ace’s neck.

When the other shivers and gasps, Felix pulls back to look at him, startled by the reaction.

“Uh, neck’s kinda sensitive,” Ace offers with a sheepish grin.

Well. It sure would be a shame if someone used that information for their advantage later tonight.

“I don’t know whether to be turned on or scared,” Ace jokes, seeing the mischievous smile on Felix’s face.

“Later,” Felix says, leaning in for a kiss that Ace dodges, Felix’s lips landing on Ace’s stubbled cheek.

“I promise you _don’t_ wanna taste my mouth right now” Ace explains. “It’s a distinct combination of booze and death.”

Felix would like to pretend like he’s not grossed out by morning breath, but then remembers he didn’t even offer to lend Ace a hotel toothbrush last night.

“Fair enough,” Felix says, settling for kissing Ace’s bearded jaw instead.

The prickling under his lips is pleasant and, again, so distinctly masculine. Felix can’t help nuzzling into Ace’s jawline, his own morning stubble rasping against the trimmed beard.

“Having fun?” Ace teases, returning the gesture, scraping his beard over Felix’s stubbled cheek.

“Sorry,” Felix chuckles. “It’s just different. In a good way.”

“I’m not judging,” Ace grins. “If you wanna bump your head into me and knead my chest hair like a cat, go right ahead.”

“I'm… a little obsessed, sorry,” Felix says, a hand running through said chest hair once again.

“Baby, a guy with your face? You can do whatever you want with me,“ Ace purrs suggestively, and Felix feels heat rising up his neck.

“Do you really think I look good?” Felix asks, almost regretting it once he realizes just how insecure he sounds.

Sure, his ex-girlfriends complimented him every now and then, but that’s what couples do, right? The kids back in his school years sure didn’t make it a secret how "weird” and “boring” they thought Felix was.

“Don’t tell me no one ever told you how pretty you are,” Ace grins. At Felix’s confused frown, Ace’s smile falters. “Fuck me, no one ever told you how pretty you are.”

“People don’t generally tend to compliment strangers,” Felix points out.

“They should if the stranger looks like _you!_ ” Ace exclaims, now sounding almost offended on his behalf. “Okay, babe, listen. This is important,” Ace says, grabbing Felix by the shoulder and looking straight into his eyes.

“You’re gorgeous,” Ace says. “And, yeah, I don’t really tend to be stingy with compliments, but you’re easily in the top five of most attractive people I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“You said this was important,” Felix says with a small smile, trying not to flush from the praise.

“It is!” Ace insists. “You need to know that you’re a ten and you can’t spend your life picking up fives and sixes.”

Felix frowns, not really seeing where Ace is going with this.

“I mean _obviously_ I’m not referring to myself—” Ace hurries to add. “But if you ever start getting more involved in the hookup scene, you need to set the bar high. Because trust me, you’re not gonna run out of options.”

Felix barely resists the urge to tell Ace that he can’t see himself sleeping with men that aren’t him, but manages to just nod instead so he doesn’t sound too clingy.

He’s still flustered that Ace finds him this attractive and isn’t afraid of saying so. Maybe it’s a cultural thing, the Argentine much more free with his compliments than is customary in Germany.

“So, now that we’ve established how hot you are…” Ace starts, sensing Felix’s awkwardness about being in the spotlight like this. “You probably didn’t have the time to check out the breakfast buffet, huh?”

“No, I only got here last night,” Felix says.

At the mention of food, Felix suddenly notices a pang in his belly, signaling an empty stomach. Having only had a couple of pathetic airplane meals for the past 24 hours, breakfast is sounding pretty tempting right about now.

“Well, need some help with that?” Ace suggests.

“Help?” Felix asks, confused.

“You know,” Ace gestures lazily with his hand. “Get all the insider information. Which cereal to pick. Whether apple or orange juice is better. Important stuff.”

Hearing the strange suggestion, something clicks in Felix’s head.

“Are you asking if I want to have breakfast together?” Felix asks.

“Is it working?” Ace grins.

“Somehow, yes,” Felix says, and Ace’s smile widens even further.

“I hate to say it, but we should probably get out of bed in that case,” Ace says, sitting up on the bed and taking the cozy warmth of his body away. “I’ll swing by my room to freshen up. See you downstairs in half an hour?” he offers over his shoulder, starting to dress himself.

“Sounds good,” Felix agrees, hurrying to get out of bed so he’ll have time to make himself look presentable.

Making for the bathroom to brush his teeth, he walks past his phone on the desk, suddenly remembering something crucial.

“Oh,” Felix says, making a nearly-dressed Ace perk up and look at him. “Can I please have your number, just in case? I don’t want to lose you again.”

“Aww, babe,” Ace smirks. “The three seconds we were separated by the elevator were hard on me too.”

“You know what I mean,” Felix mutters, shooting Ace a half-hearted glare.

“I do, I do,” Ace defuses with a smile, walking up to Felix with a partially buttoned shirt and extending his hand. “Here, I’ll type it for you.”

As Felix hands over his phone and watches Ace add his number, his gaze inadvertently drifts down to the man’s exposed chest. The crumpled, pastel pink shirt combined with the generous neckline exposing a hairy chest _should_ look nothing short of ridiculous and trashy.

Instead, Felix forces his eyes away before his sweatpants start tenting suspiciously. What the hell is wrong with him?

“There!” Ace finally finishes his task and hands Felix back his phone. “Call me?” Ace suggests and—thankfully—proceeds to button his shirt most of the way up.

Felix glances at the number, smiling as he sees “Ace ♠️” as the contact name.

“Cute,” Felix comments when he presses the call button.

“Not as cute as you,” Ace winks, grabbing his own phone that lights up on the nightstand. “Thanks babe, I got it.”

“Do I even want to know what you’re saving me as?” Felix mutters, intrigued.

“Oops, would you look at that, gotta run!” Ace grins, avoiding the question and making for the door. “See you in thirty, handsome!”

“Be safe,” Felix reflexively calls after him, and Ace turns and raises an eyebrow, making Felix choke on his own embarrassment. “I mean… yes. See you soon.”

Like he should have said in the first place. You know, like a normal person.

Instead of making fun of him, Ace just smiles in a kind of derpy way.

“Can you stop being so adorable?” Ace teases, but then he’s out of the door before Felix can even begin to think of a reply.

Left to his own devices, Felix realizes he only has thirty minutes to shower, shave and get ready for what is essentially his first date with a man.

He hurries to the bathroom and turns on the shower, a flash of shame shooting through him as he spots his previously soiled boxers still drying on the towel rack.

Still, he manages to shower, shave, blow dry his hair and brush his teeth with ten minutes to spare.

But then he runs into his next crisis; what the hell does he wear?

Felix ends up laying all of his outfits on the bed, and _yes_ , five entire outfits might have been excessive for a three-day-trip, but it sure comes in handy now.

Does he wear his work clothes? It might be overdressing for the occasion. He can’t wear the leather jacket, since they’re only going to be indoors. Can he go with the t-shirt and vest? Will Ace think he’s a slob?

Suddenly recalling Ace has only seen him in his pajamas, Felix realizes anything he chooses to wear is probably a vast improvement.

And then he also realizes he only has three minutes left, having wasted most of his time overthinking his outfit choice.

No small amount of cursing later, Felix manages to dress himself in the casual outfit, only fretting momentarily over whether the jeans are _too_ casual or not. Since he has no time left to gel his hair into place, he haphazardously brushes his bangs over to one side and hopes that it’s good enough.

Barely remembering his keycard, Felix is out of the door with only one minute to spare, power-walking to the elevator.

He pushes the call button, and then pushes it again… and again, when the elevator isn’t fucking arriving. He glances at his watch, remembers he didn’t remember to put on a watch, sighs and runs a hand through his hair in frustration. But at least the elevator is finally here—

“Fancy seeing you here,” Ace quips as soon as the doors slide open.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> minimal plot here, just a cute breakfast together!

Ace had a pretty good feeling about this morning.

He'd tried to slip away gracefully to avoid the awkward morning after, but Felix had stopped him. In Ace’s opinion, getting in some silly chatter and morning cuddles was much preferable to a walk of shame before the sun was even fully up. At the very least, it beat going to his room to start the day with a shot of gin from the mini bar like he’d originally planned.

Felix had seemed much more relaxed this morning, though he was still awkward; at this point, Ace just accepted it as part of his charm.

Suggesting to get breakfast together was a spur-of-the-moment idea—as if Ace ever had any other ones. As soon as the opportunity to spend time with Felix in a casual setting where Ace _didn’t_ smell like week-old-liquor presented itself, Ace took it, and Felix happily accepted.

Which is why Ace wasn’t really nervous when returning to his room to get more presentable. He even had time to start cleaning his messy room in preparation for Felix's visit for tonight, because after only a quick shower and even quicker internal debate between two different shirts, Ace was ready to go.

And from the way Felix's gaze immediately drops to said shirt, he seems to have made the right choice.

“Fancy meeting you here,” Ace offers with a grin, pleased with picking the navy blue button-up with a pineapple print.

It's cute how quickly Felix's nervous demeanor seems to calm down in Ace’s company. He goes from tense and running a hand through his hair to smiling in just a second, whatever he was fretting about momentarily forgotten.

“I was worried I'd be late,” Felix says, stepping into the elevator and coming to stand way closer to Ace than is appropriate.

But this time, they don't have an audience that would make it awkward.

“You really do worry way too much,” Ace offers with a carefree smile.

“I've been told that,” Felix smiles sheepishly, before his eyes are drawn downward, to the second button of Ace's shirt that he deliberately left unbuttoned.

Following suit, Ace lets his own gaze roam appreciatively over Felix's outfit, a sadly not as tight tee with a tasteful, open vest and snugly fitting washed denim jeans. His hair is loose and looks even softer than it was in the morning.

All in all, he looks extremely kissable.

“I like the look,” Ace says, meeting Felix's eyes. And if he tilts his head up in silent invitation, nobody can prove it.

“Me too,” Felix says, returning a small smile, before flustering. “I mean— _your_ look. The outfit,” he explains.

And somehow, the awkward floundering makes him even _more_ kissable.

Sadly, the elevator ride isn't infinite, and they arrive at the lobby floor before Ace can instigate a make-out session.

“Shall we?” Ace offers with a smile.

“After you,” Felix agrees, oh-so-polite.

They give their room numbers at the restaurant counter, and then are off to the breakfast hall that’s somewhat crowded despite the late hour. Ace isn't surprised that people decided to sleep in after the rude wake-up in the middle of the night, but the crowd does make it somewhat of an annoying experience.

Luckily, he has company to keep him entertained while they wait in line.

Felix trails after him, which Ace doesn't mind in the slightest, but it's only when the German stops in front of the cereal section and looks at him meaningfully that Ace cocks his head in confusion.

“You were supposed to help me pick,” Felix says, deadly serious.

Ace tries not to laugh that Felix seemed to take his earlier invitation literally. He really shouldn’t be surprised at the man’s quirks anymore.

And that's how Ace ends up improvising a three-minute lecture about why corn flakes are superior to muesli.

“I see,” Felix says, nodding in understanding, reaching for the cereal—

And choosing muesli.

“Hey!” Ace exclaims, mock offended. “Didn't you listen to any of what I just said?”

“Yes. I just don't agree,” Felix says, way too nonchalant, spooning the cereal onto his bowl. “I like this one better.”

“It has _raisins!_ ” Ace exclaims, flabbergasted.

“I like raisins,” Felix points out.

“Oh, babe,” Ace sighs dramatically, shaking his head. “And here I thought you had taste.”

Ace quickly peeks back up at Felix, needing to make sure he didn't take the joke personally.

“Shut up,” Felix snorts, elbowing Ace. “Come on, let's go argue about juice next.”

After a brief conversation about juice ("Who the hell drinks _apple_ juice!?" "I don't like the texture of orange pulp") followed by going through the rest of the breakfast selection together, Ace discovers that Felix is an incredibly picky eater.

When they sit down at a table, the difference between his and Felix's servings is hilariously prominent.

Felix's plate holds two pieces of toast, a fried egg and some sliced fruit, compared to Ace's overflowing plate featuring 90 % of the entire breakfast selection.

Usually Ace wouldn’t care about other people’s eating habits, but the knowledge makes him a little nervous about their dinner.

“Really adventurous with the white toast, I see,” Ace teases.

“At least I don't have bacon with pancakes,” Felix shoots back.

“I ran out of room on my plate!” Ace protests, but Felix only smirks behind his cup of coffee. “So, what kind of food _do_ you like?” Ace prods, digging into his meal.

“I don't really have a preference,” Felix says diplomatically.

But Ace can smell the bullshit a mile away.

“Really?” Ace asks, raising an eyebrow. “So you wouldn't mind if _I_ picked the place for dinner tonight?" he teases, only to realize something. “Uh… we're still on for that, right?”

“I hope so,” Felix says, smiling bashfully.

"Good, just checking!" Ace grins. "Well, since you're _not_ picky… how about a Mexican place? What about sushi? Or an oyster bar?”

Predictably, Felix cringes at his suggestions.

“I'm… not great with spices or raw fish,” Felix admits.

“Or?” Ace pushes.

“Steak, shrimp, mushrooms, tofu, kebab, or greasy food in general,” Felix lists and Ace tries not to look too confused at how someone can so nonchalantly rule out entire food groups.

“What about Italian?” Ace asks.

“I don't like pizza, either,” Felix says apologetically.

“I'm not taking you to a pizza place for a first date!" Ace protests, while simultaneously trying to figure out how someone can _not_ like pizza. "I was wondering how you feel about pasta or risotto?”

“That…” Felix considers. “Actually sounds nice.”

“Italian it is!” Ace grins victoriously. “I'll find a nice restaurant, just leave it to me.”

“Alright,” Felix says with a small smile.

“Now…” Ace says, realizing he's been running his mouth instead of actually eating. “Excuse me while I stuff my mouth with bacon pancakes.”

Felix huffs out a quiet laugh before following his example.

They eat in silence, or as much relative silence as a bustling dining hall allows. Ace does his best to not eat like a pig, feeling Felix’s stare on him as the other sneaks glances. After not having had any food for 24 hours, Ace is kind of surprised he didn't pass out in the parking lot, especially after the bright idea to have a few drinks on an empty stomach.

“So, how…” Ace trails off mid-sentence as he suddenly notices a couple of pigtails sticking up right beside him, narrowly missing the kid’s head when he reaches for his coffee.

“Good morning!” the kid, a little girl, beams up at him.

“Uh, hey there,” Ace says, a little taken aback at why this random child is approaching him.

“Hello,” Felix jumps into the conversation, getting the girl’s attention. “We meet again.”

Ace shoots Felix a weird look; does he know the kid?

“Did you remember to give him your number?” the girl asks Felix, tilting her head in curiosity.

A grin spreads over Ace’s face in realization, while Felix only clears his throat self-consciously. Ace didn’t really pay much attention to their company in the elevator last night, but the girl clearly remembers them.

“He did, yeah,” Ace says, shooting Felix a smug look over the table.

“Good,” the girl huffs, before turning back to Felix. “You need to stop being so forgetful, mister!” she accuses, hands on her hips.

Ace bites his lip to stop from chuckling as Felix flounders for an excuse to this sassy eight-year-old.

“You’re right,” Felix settles on. “It was silly of me, I’ll try to do better.”

While Felix is talking, the kid seems to get distracted, standing up on her tiptoes to peer into Felix’s now empty cereal bowl.

“What did you eat?” the girl asks, like a typical nosey kid.

“I had some yogurt with muesli,” Felix explains, way more patient than Ace would be in his situation.

“Do you like Froot Loops?” the kid asks.

As Felix calmly explains that the cereal in question isn’t his favorite, Ace starts discreetly scanning the room for the girl’s mother. He tolerates kids just fine, but he’d rather not have one ruin his unofficial date with Felix. Hopefully, the girl isn’t lost or something—

“There you are!” a woman appears from the crowd and gives the kid an exasperated look, Ace distantly recognizing her from the elevator last night.

“Hi mom!” the girl interrupts her cereal debate with Felix to greet the woman.

“I’m so sorry, I swear she was right behind me a second ago—” the woman glances at Ace and Felix apologetically, steering her daughter away with a hand on her small shoulders.

“No worries,” Ace defuses with a smile. “Kids, huh?”

“Always getting into trouble,” the woman agrees with a sigh, grabbing the girl’s hand. “Come on now, let’s go back to our table.”

“Bye, misters!” the girl calls.

“Goodbye,” Felix offers, and even Ace forces a smile and wave as the pair disappear into the rush of the dining hall.

“So, you got any kids?” Ace asks, having noticed how patient Felix was with the girl.

“No, I… maybe in another life,” Felix says, sounding melancholy, and Ace realizes there's probably more to that story. “Um. You?” Felix asks, clearly not wanting to elaborate.

“Nah,” Ace says. “I have a niece, though. She's a real demon. Great kid.”

“That sounds accurate,” Felix says, smiling. And somehow, Ace gets the overwhelming feeling Felix would be a great dad. “At least she has an interesting uncle.”

“Oh, you don't know the half of it!” Ace grins, taking the opportunity to tell Felix about some of his more memorable moments with his niece.

All too soon, they finish the last of their breakfasts and Ace offers to walk Felix to his room.

“Thanks for the company,” Ace says when they’re coming up to Felix’s door.

“You as well,” Felix says.

“See you tonight?”

“I'll call you,” Felix promises. “I should be available around five."

“Can't wait,” Ace grins.

Felix turns to his door, but then almost instantly whips back around to face Ace. His gaze flicks obviously to Ace's lips as he swallows.

“I have an hour before I need to leave for my meeting,” Felix says. “If you want…”

Ace's gut flutters at the implications, but then he remembers he has things to do. Though he'd much rather make out with Felix than go find a fence or shady pawn shop that will buy his shit, now is not the time.

“Sorry babe, I've got some errands to run,” Ace says good-naturedly, pretending not to see how Felix deflates in disappointment.

“I see,” Felix says.

“I'll make it up to you later,” Ace promises.

“It's okay, I should prepare for my presentation anyway,” Felix says, and upon the mention of his work, instantly seems more tense.

“Well, good luck with your work thingy. I'll be waiting to hear from you!” Ace says with fake cheer.

“Right,” Felix says, reaching for his door. “See you later.”

When the door closes in front of his face, Ace can practically _feel_ the anxiety radiating from within the room. Ace really has his hands full, if he's going to get the guy to relax and forget about his work like he promised.

In the next thirty minutes, Ace ends up turning his own hotel room upside down while he scours it for valuables. He finds the watch he was looking for, as well as an earring behind the headboard, and some spare poker chips in one of his jacket's pockets.

He can’t help but smirk as he runs his fingers over the poker chips; it looks like destiny is trying to point him in the direction of the casino after all. And who is he to deny fate? After all, it's what brought him this far.

Ace thinks back to a couple months ago, where he—or well, his alias, Diego Sanchez—had still been living a somewhat stable life. Over the course of a year, he’d managed to pick up a few part-time jobs to fund poker tournaments and talk himself into more than a couple of loans. But as with most things, Ace had gotten too cocky, and his associates had figured out he wouldn’t be able to pay back the debts he owed.

At this point, uprooting his life and starting over was something Ace was very familiar with. For the last few weeks, he’d been motel-hopping across the country, having shaken the debt collectors off his trail while he tried to figure out the next place to settle down—at least for a little while.

Meeting Felix was just the kind of morale boost he needed right now. Even as Ace opens his wallet and finds a whopping two dollars among the handful of stolen credit cards, he knows he’s going to be okay.

He grabs his things and throws on a blazer along with shades and a hat; even if he should be safe, it doesn't hurt to protect his identity.

Finally, he heads out into the city, with an agenda of restaurant, pawn shop, and casino.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> probably my favorite chapter so far! hope you enjoy <3

Felix despises meeting clients.

They're entitled, they're whiny, and in this particular case, they're obnoxious and unwilling to compromise.

It takes half an hour of their appointment to even get to its point, the client and his associates preferring to engage in pointless small talk, as if this small talk was worth Felix’s 18-hour flight. Still, he puts on his business face and laughs his polite fake laugh to humor them, since the project is important to Lauren.

When Felix finally gets to presenting his studio’s offer to the group, there's an influx of stupid questions that he hadn't prepared for. He improvises the best he can and ignores the rude comments about Lauren's design style, trying not to let the annoyance show on his face.

The hours tick by and his clients don’t seem to be in any sort of hurry, content to keep bullshitting and dragging out the appointment. Felix’s pulse is racing and he almost feels like he’s about to be sick, nerves mixing with dread as he realizes he’s going to be late for his date with Ace.

When he's finally allowed to leave, five excruciating hours and way too many fake laughs and handshakes later, Felix is almost ready to kill someone.

Instead, he calls Ace as soon as the office building’s doors close behind him.

“Hello?” Ace's voice sounds annoyed, and Felix doesn't blame him in the slightest.

“I'm sorry, my meeting ran late,” Felix apologizes hurriedly, checking his watch to notice it’s already six o’clock. “Do you still want to meet?”

“Oh! Yeah, sure!” Ace's voice perks up, his words difficult to make out through some strange background noise. “Don't worry about it, I kinda lost track of time too.”

“I can come straight from the office, I'll just get a cab,” Felix says, looking around the street for signs of a taxi.

“Uh, alright!” Ace’s voice sounds surprised. “There's this Italian place just a few blocks from the hotel. I can be there in twenty, I'll text you the address.”

“Sounds good,” Felix sighs, already feeling calmer now that he knows he didn't mess up his chance with the man.

Somehow, despite the taxi getting stuck in traffic for minutes on end, Felix arrives at the restaurant before Ace does. He hovers near the entrance awkwardly, not sure whether he should go inside to wait.

He decides to stay outside on the sidewalk, hoping the fresh air will soothe some of his overwhelming nerves. Standing there in his work clothes, clutching his briefcase and repeatedly glancing at his watch, Felix feels utterly ridiculous and is already starting to regret the entire thing.

Ace is either ten minutes late or is standing him up. Is it revenge for Felix neglecting to contact him earlier? Was Felix imagining the connection between them? Felix really shouldn’t have come; he's completely drained after the meeting and would much rather curl up in his hotel bed—

And then he spots Ace making his way over, and as soon as their eyes meet the doubts fizzle out and disappear.

“Hey, handsome!” Ace greets with a radiant smile, and Felix is instantly ready to forgive him. “How was work?”

“It was fine,” Felix lies, not wanting to sour the other's permanent good mood.

“I'm glad!" Ace says. “Hope you're hungry, because I'm starving,” he smiles, reaching for the restaurant door and holding it open for Felix.

Almost as soon as they step inside, Felix’s anxiety decides to flare up. The place looks more casual than he'd pictured, and he feels way too overdressed, his stiff suit and tie surely standing out among the crowd.

“Sorry I didn't have time to get changed,” Ace apologizes, coming up beside him. “I was planning to wear something nicer for you.”

Felix realizes Ace is in the same clothes as earlier today, apart from a blazer he's slung casually over his shoulder. It's reassuring to know Felix isn't the only one worrying about his outfit, even if Ace's patterned button-up seems much more fitting for the occasion.

“It's fine, I also would have preferred not to wear my work clothes,” Felix says, discreetly starting to tug off his tie to attempt to make the look more casual.

“Well, I do love a man in a suit,” Ace says and shoots him a wink, and Felix decides he definitely needs to remove some layers if he's going to survive the dinner without sweating buckets from the flirty attention.

While Felix is shrugging out of his suit jacket, a waiter comes to greet them and Ace effortlessly takes over, making small talk while they're shown to a table and given their menus.

"You got any wine recommendations?” Ace asks the waiter.

“Our house wine is a light chardonnay that goes well with most of our dishes.”

“Perfect,” Ace says, before turning to Felix. “You wanna share a bottle?”

“Yes, please,” Felix says, relieved at the chance to get some alcohol in his system. Maybe it’ll finally make him stop fretting so he can focus on their date.

As the waiter leaves to get their drinks, Felix follows Ace’s example and familiarizes himself with the menu. They make some small talk about the dishes, most of them unfamiliar to Felix, prompting Ace to make a few gentle suggestions. Following the advice, Felix settles on chicken risotto while Ace goes with some sort of seafood pasta that sounds way too adventurous for Felix’s taste.

The waiter returns to pour their drinks and take their orders, and Felix tries not to cringe in embarrassment as he butchers his dish’s pronunciation after Ace fluently orders his own.

“So, um…” Felix starts once the waiter leaves with their orders. “What do you do? For a living?”

The question feels clunky on his tongue, but isn't that what people ask on first dates? Felix takes a bigger gulp of wine than is appropriate to wash down his embarrassment.

“Straight to business, huh?” Ace says, his voice teasing, before taking a sip of his own wine. “You could say I'm a professional poker player.”

The surprise must be clear on Felix's face, because Ace chuckles.

“Not the most conventional gig, I know,” Ace offers good-naturedly.

“That sounds… interesting,” Felix says, realizing that somehow, the job makes sense. He should have guessed the strange man would have an unconventional occupation. “What is it like?”

“Unpredictable, risky and infuriating,” Ace huffs, before grinning. “But I love it.”

Felix nods in acknowledgement and stays silent, wordlessly encouraging Ace to go on.

“It’s just…” Ace eagerly continues. “The feeling of winning a high-stakes game? The anticipation and nerves when you don’t really have a good hand but have to keep going anyway, and finally manage the card you need at the very last round? Nothing else even comes close!”

Felix happily listens to Ace talk, enraptured by his ever-growing smile and eyes shining with pure, childlike excitement. He always enjoyed hearing people share their passions in life, and it sounds like cards are to Ace like architecture is to Felix.

“So I might be known to take a few more risks than most players,” Ace adds with an impish smile. “But it mostly works out—I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve been told I’m quite lucky,” he says, shooting Felix a wink.

Felix chuckles against the rim of his wine glass, enjoying the attention even if it makes his cheeks feel warm. He can’t deny Ace took a gamble by approaching him, though he wouldn’t necessarily attribute the success of that gamble to luck.

Speaking of gambling...

“Is your name a coincidence, or…?” Felix asks.

“Oh, funny story, that!” Ace chuckles. “I actually had it changed because of a bet.”

“I—excuse me?” Felix says.

“I was on this insane blackjack win streak in Vegas,” Ace says. “Got to play at the high rollers’ table; big bets, even bigger wins. It got to a point where people were crowding around the table, the other players dropping out just to make wagers on when I’d finally lose.”

Felix leans closer, listening raptly as Ace tells his story. He’s never been one for gambling, but he can almost see the scene play out in front of him; others looking on in awe and horror as risky bets were made, Ace reveling in the attention in the middle of it all.

“So, eventually, I bet everything on a single round,” Ace grins. “Crowd gasps and cheers, guy next to me says I’m a complete dumbass for pushing my luck.”

Felix can’t help but agree with the nameless player, but he bites his tongue.

“And wouldn’t you know it, I get a hard ten and the dealer gets a twenty,” Ace says. “Crowd’s cringing, guy’s laughing, saying there’s no way I’m getting a blackjack. So, I announce that if I get an ace, I’m legally changing my name to that.”

“And?” Felix asks, sounding more eager than he means to when Ace pauses for dramatic effect.

“Dealer hits me with an ace, jaws drop to the floor, I make a dent in the casino’s profit that night,” Ace smirks victoriously. “Got my name changed within the hour—good thing paperwork’s easy in Vegas.”

“That’s… wow,” Felix chuckles, taking a sip of his wine while he lets the incredulous tale sink in.

“Told you I’m lucky,” Ace says. “The money might not have lasted long, but I got a kick-ass name and good story out of it! Actually, there was this other time…” Ace suddenly trails off and glances to his right.

When Felix follows suit, having been completely immersed in looking at Ace, he notices the waiter approaching with their food.

Felix gives a polite nod as his order is placed in front of him. The appearance of the dish isn’t the most appetizing, even if the chef has clearly tried to pretty up the chicken and rice with some garnish. However, the smell is absolutely delicious, making Felix eager for a taste.

“Thank you,” Ace smiles up at the waiter as he receives his own serving.

The waiter is off with a polite “enjoy your meals” and Felix’s stomach rumbles in return.

“Well, bon appetit!” Ace offers, thankfully not seeming to have heard the sound.

“How do you say it in Italian?” Felix asks, wanting to acknowledge Ace’s roots.

When Ace looks up in surprise at the question before smiling brightly, Felix gives himself a mental pat on the back for accidentally being smooth.

“Buon appetito,” Ace says, looking at him warmly.

“Buon… apetito?” Felix tries his best to repeat the sentence.

“That’s it,” Ace encourages, happy with his attempt. “Now dig in, before it gets cold!”

Felix doesn’t need to be told twice. He scoops a small bit of the mushy rice and some chicken onto his fork, careful to avoid a piece of mushroom sitting on top as a garnish.

As suspected, the food tastes just as good as it smells. The rice is creamy and the chicken is tender, a strong flavor of cheese and herbs accompanying the taste.

“What’s the verdict?” Ace asks playfully, having apparently paused his eating to watch Felix slowly chew through his food.

“It’s very good,” Felix praises, going to scoop a bigger piece onto his utensils. “And yours?”

“Really nice!” Ace says, returning to his meal. “It’s been a while since I had this dish. Can’t really go wrong with it.”

Felix nods in acknowledgement and takes another bite of his food, this time accompanying it with a sip of wine. Ace seems happy to follow suit, and there’s a beat of comfortable silence as they enjoy their meals.

“So…” Ace speaks up, turning his attention back to Felix. “I realize I kinda went off earlier, only talking about myself.”

“I don’t mind,” Felix reassures. “It was a good story.”

“One of my favorites,” Ace grins. “But what about you? What do you do?”

“Me?”

“I mean, I only heard you bitch about your clients last night,” Ace says, and Felix is embarrassed to realize that he's right.

How on earth Ace not only dealt with his awkwardness, but also listened to him whine about his work and _still_ decided to approach him is beyond Felix’s understanding.

“Which sounds totally justified, by the way,” Ace reassures with a grin when Felix internally panics instead of replying. “I just never caught what it actually is that you do. I've been guessing between law and marketing.”

“Sorry," Felix says, giving an apologetic smile for talking Ace's ear off the other night. “I'm actually an architect.”

“Oh, neat!” Ace exclaims. “I should've known you weren't just a pretty face,” he offers with a wink over the rim of his wine glass.

“It's not nearly as complicated as you seem to think,” Felix says, fidgeting from the praise.

“Modest, too,” Ace grins.

Felix doesn’t know how to reply to the compliment, so he opts to take a big bite of his food instead.

“Anyway, I promised to take your mind off work, huh?” Ace says. “What do you do for fun?”

Felix falters. He always dreads the hobby question, since his job pretty much is his entire life. Obsessively checking work emails or drinking until he passes out surely don't count as hobbies.

“I usually read architecture magazines or go jogging,” Felix lies.

Ace doesn’t reply, only quirks a skeptical eyebrow through a mouthful of pasta.

“Ehm… what?” Felix asks, suddenly self-conscious.

“This isn't a job interview,” Ace snorts in amusement. “I asked what you do for _fun_.”

“Ähm, sorry,” Felix apologizes, looking at the tablecloth in embarrassment.

“I'll start!” Ace decides. “I like to laze around and watch shitty 3PM telenovelas.”

“Telenovelas?”

“Oh. Latin American soaps,” Ace explains with a smile. “They're tacky and predictable but remind me of home.”

Felix returns a small smile, finding the thought of Ace watching cheesy afternoon TV oddly endearing.

“I guess I enjoy quiz programs,” Felix says. “And… maybe get a little frustrated when the participants get the obvious ones wrong,” he confesses.

“I bet you’d do great in one of those,” Ace says. “You’re so smart.”

“I’d probably swallow my own tongue from the nerves,” Felix mumbles, poking at his food.

“Oh, right,” Ace hums in thought, followed by another smile. “God, it’s so funny that a gorgeous guy like you is so shy,” he chuckles.

“It’s embarrassing, I know—” Felix starts.

“It’s endearing,” Ace corrects, and Felix swears his heart skips a beat.

“Do you have any other hobbies?” Felix asks, feeling like he needs to contribute to the conversation.

“Do lame card tricks count?” Ace grins. “If not, I sometimes play guitar—badly, I might add.”

“Both of those sound like a lot of fun,” Felix says. “I’ve never played an instrument.”

“It’s fun if you don’t take it seriously! You should try it, if you ever get the time,” Ace encourages.

They finish the rest of their meals while chatting pleasantly. Felix finds it easy to open up, Ace’s warm smile and relaxed demeanor putting him at ease. At the same time, he’s eager to learn more about Ace, every small detail he hears only serving to make him even more fond of the man.

When Felix eventually finishes his dish, save for the mushrooms and some questionable greens he doesn’t recognize, Ace has the audacity to look at his plate with a knowing smirk.

“What?” Felix says, although suspecting he already knows the answer.

“Nothing!” Ace says. “I’m just happy I got a picky eater to… _almost_ finish his plate.”

“For the record, I liked the food,” Felix argues, bantering along. “It’s much better than the idiot sandwiches I had for lunch.”

“Uh… idiot sandwiches?” Ace asks, quirking an eyebrow.

“Oh, eh…” Felix falters, feeling stupid for resorting to an inside joke the other obviously wouldn’t understand. “That’s what my business partner calls the stale snacks that are served in meetings. Like sandwiches and quiche and the like.”

“I… see?” Ace says, obviously still confused.

“You know… like in the joke?” Felix explains, but Ace looks even more lost, cocking his head in curiosity. “With the bread,” Felix says, placing his hands on the side of his head in a poor imitation of the video Lauren showed him once.

“I've gotta confess, I'm not great with tech,” Ace finally admits in defeat.

“Well, at least you know how to use a smartphone,” Felix says, recalling Ace effortlessly texting and exchanging their numbers.

“Okay, I'm not _that_ old,” Ace jokes and kicks him playfully under the table.

While they’re sharing a chuckle, the waiter comes by to collect their plates.

“Did you enjoy your meals?” he asks.

“Absolutely!” Ace says.

“It was very good,” Felix agrees.

“I’m glad,” the waiter says with a smile.

And as he leaves with their plates without further blabbering, Felix makes a mental note to tip him well for making the evening such a pleasant experience.

“So,” Felix says, eager to return to the conversation with his date. “How old _are_ you?”

It’s only when Ace quirks an amused eyebrow that Felix realizes his mistake.

“Sorry, you don't have to say,” Felix says, nervously wringing his hands under the table for being so rude.

“Naw, I don't mind,” Ace says with a smile. “I'm forty-eight.”

“Oh,” Felix says, not sure how to respond to the predictable answer. “I’m thirty-seven. You, um. You look very good,” he settles on, feeling his neck heating up from the awkward compliment.

“Not so bad for an old coot, huh?” Ace jokes, but something about it doesn’t sit right with Felix.

“What do you mean?” Felix asks.

“I mean…” Ace says, his smile finally faltering. “'You look good' doesn't really have the same ring to it when it's always followed by 'for your age',” Ace admits, staring into his wine glass thoughtfully.

The earnest confession takes Felix off guard; so far, he hasn't seen Ace display any signs of insecurity.

“But hey, that's life!” Ace immediately perks back up, offering a smile that doesn’t seem entirely genuine.

“I didn’t mean for your age,” Felix feels the need to clarify. “I think you’re, ehm. Very handsome,” he mumbles, and by now his face must be bright red.

But it’s worth it, because Ace’s smile softens into one that finally reaches his eyes.

“Thanks,” Ace says, before clearing his throat. “I mean, I don’t really let stuff like that bring me down, but… it’s still nice to hear, you know?”

“I do,” Felix says, deciding he should try to take a page from Ace’s book and be freer with his compliments, awkwardness be damned.

The waiter chooses that time to return to their table, not an entirely unwelcome distraction from the sudden feelings blooming in Felix’s chest.

“Would you like to order dessert? Coffee?” the waiter asks.

Ace only smirks and looks at Felix mischievously.

“I had something else in mind,” Ace says, his voice sounding deeper than before. “What about you, babe?”

Felix flushes both at the nickname and the reminder that for all intents and purposes, he _is_ the dessert.

“I'm good as well, thank you,” he manages with a surprisingly steady voice, gulping down some more wine.

“We'll probably just finish up the wine and take the check,” Ace offers to the waiter with another pleasant smile.

“Of course,” the waiter says and is off with a polite nod.

“Wow, I didn't even realize the time,” Ace says, glancing at the clock over the bar counter.

Felix's gaze follows suit, and he sees that they've apparently been in the restaurant for over an hour.

“Time flies, huh?” Ace grins.

“Indeed,” Felix agrees.

He feels much more relaxed than when they arrived; the wine, good food and cozy atmosphere surely all have played a part in making him feel comfortable.

But not nearly as much as the company.

“Here you go, gorgeous,” Ace says, smiling as he refills both of their glasses with the remaining wine.

“Thank you,” Felix says, the cheesy compliment no longer making him fluster.

Instead, there’s a warm fluttering in his gut, fondness for his date mixing with anticipation of what’s to come.

It’s only when the waiter returns to drop their check on the table and Ace immediately reaches for it that Felix wipes the lovestruck smile off his face.

“You’re not paying,” Felix protests, reaching his hand over the table towards the bill.

“Oh, I think I am,” Ace says, lifting the small folder out of Felix’s reach. “I was the one who asked you out.”

“That doesn’t matter,” Felix argues. “It’s my treat.”

“Hmm, let me think about it,” Ace says, pretending to mull over the suggestion. “Nope!” he grins.

“ _Ace_ ,” Felix says, exasperated but not able to stop the corner of his mouth from twitching up.

“ _Felix_ ,” Ace counters with a shit-eating grin, and Felix snorts an ugly chuckle at the other’s ridiculousness.

After a few minutes of playful arguing, Ace begrudgingly agrees to split the bill.

But Felix adds the tip money before Ace has a chance to, much to the other’s annoyance.

“It’s not _splitting_ if you pay twenty bucks on top of half,” Ace argues when they’re making to leave.

“You didn’t mention the tip, so it’s only fair,” Felix points out, smiling smugly as he rebuttons his suit jacket.

“Where’s this sudden sass coming from?” Ace exclaims in mock shock, a hand over his heart. “I’m starting to think the shyness is an elaborate act,” he teases.

And then he, once again, holds the door open for Felix as they exit the restaurant.

“You got me,” Felix says sarcastically. “I’m actually a stand-up comedian, not an architect.”

Ace laughs warmly at his joke, and something in Felix’s heart clenches.

He doesn’t know what comes over him. In one instant, Felix is watching Ace’s smile as he keeps playing off of the joke, and in the next, Ace is freezing mid-sentence, eyes momentarily widening in surprise as Felix has grabbed his hand with his own.

Felix already has an apology ready on his tongue for his embarrassing lapse in judgement, but Ace apparently has other ideas. His hand returns the hold on Felix’s as he resumes the conversation right where they left off, taking Felix’s clingy gesture in stride.

And Felix doesn’t remember when he’s last felt as happy as when they walk the few blocks to their hotel making stupid jokes and holding hands.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> had to split this chapter in two due to its length, here's the first one!

Holding hands isn't really something that’s part of Ace's usual M.O. But then again, if their evening had shown anything so far, nothing about Felix is exactly normal.

The date had gone way better than Ace ever dared to hope. Felix had proven to be excellent company, his initial social clumsiness giving way for earnest conversation and teasing banter that made it difficult for Ace to contain his flirting. By the end of their meal, Ace had to consciously stop his foot from wandering to sneak up Felix’s leg under the table.

He still can’t fully comprehend how anyone can be that awkward, yet irresistible. There are so many layers to Felix, a cold professionalism masking painful shyness, and even deeper down a whole lot of weird quirks and endearing playfulness.

And Ace feels like he's barely even managed to scratch the surface.

He squeezes Felix’s hand tighter in his own and cracks another shitty joke. In response, Felix chokes out a huff of snorting laughter, a charming action so different from his earlier rigid behavior.

When they arrive back at the hotel, Ace asks whether Felix wants to come up to his room now or meet up in a bit. It’s a relief when Felix opts for the latter.

“I need to drop off my things in my room,” Felix explains, glancing hesitantly at Ace across the now familiar elevator.

“Or course!” Ace agrees, mentally celebrating that he'll have some time to clean up the worst of the mess in his room.

“I also think I'll shower first, since uhm…” Felix falters. “I'm not really a bath person.”

Ace racks his brain for a moment, before remembering his mindless dirty talk last night where he offered Felix a bath.

“That's a-ok by me,” Ace says. “I should—”

He’s rudely interrupted by the chime of their elevator reaching Felix’s floor.

“—Give you my room number, since we’re running out of time?” Ace jokes, letting go of the comforting hand clasped in his. “It’s 413. Swing by anytime; there's no rush.”

“I’ll see you later,” Felix agrees with a smile.

The doors close between them, but the picture of Felix’s smiling face stays on Ace’s mind for the short ride up to his own floor. How the hell he’s supposed to _wait_ an unknown amount of time for the gorgeous man to come spend the night—

Oh. Right. Cleaning.

The harsh reality of the sad state in his room reminds Ace that he’s in a hurry. As soon as the elevator doors slide open, he rushes to his own room, practically running down the corridor.

He immediately starts attempting to organize the chaos from earlier today, having searched every nook and cranny of the small space. Seeing half of the bedding on the floor and his belongings strewn across the room, Ace thanks his luck for Felix not seeing the mess.

Ace ends up shoving most of his scattered clothes into a closet, giving up on organizing them not even halfway through. Thankfully, he manages to locate the lube and condom packets in the mess, placing them in a drawer beside the bed for later.

He pops a breath mint before hurrying into the shower, not knowing if he has time to brush his teeth since he has no clue when Felix will show up. Ace’s hair is in dire need of a wash, but that will have to wait; if he’s lucky, maybe he can shower together with Felix in the morning.

The thought makes his dick perk up in interest and Ace curses his vivid imagination, wanting to keep it PG since he has a schedule to keep.

He manages to get out of the shower in a somewhat timely manner, wrapping a towel around his waist. Next up on the agenda is trimming his beard, since he’s hopefully getting up close and personal with Felix’s ass— _fuck_.

Trimmer in hand, Ace glares down at the slowly tenting towel. He really needs to curb his enthusiasm if he doesn’t want to come across as desperate; it’s been a while since his last hook-up, especially with someone even remotely as attractive as Felix.

In the end, Ace doesn’t even have time to finish shaving before there’s a firm knock on his door. Squashing down the relief that Felix _actually_ followed through with his promise and didn’t ditch him, Ace hurries to welcome his guest with a bright smile and asymmetrical beard on his face.

“Hi babe!” Ace greets, swinging the door wide open in his excitement.

When Felix’s handsome face immediately flushes red and his eyes drop down to Ace’s chest, Ace realizes he’s still only in the towel and nearly flashed the entire hallway.

“I’m, uh, just finishing up,” Ace hurries to add, stepping aside to let Felix into the room and hide his half-naked torso in case of any unfortunate passerby.

Felix nods stiffly, stepping into the room and very pointedly not looking at Ace, but that doesn’t stop Ace’s own eyes from wandering. Felix has changed into more casual clothes, a dark grey Henley with snugly fitting jeans that Ace’s focus lingers on a beat too long. His blond hair is somewhat disheveled, probably from being gelled in place the entire day.

“Make yourself at home, I’ll be right back,” Ace offers with an encouraging smile when Felix only hovers nervously in the middle of the room.

Hurrying back to the bathroom to finish up his grooming, Ace feels his own confidence slipping due to Felix’s obvious nerves. He thought he’d made considerable progress during their date, but it seems like Felix has gone right back to his shell in the short time they were apart.

After shaving and giving himself a mental pep talk, Ace gets out of the bathroom to brave Felix’s sudden coldness. He finds the man, rigid, sitting on the edge of the bed and not even looking up as he enters the room. Surely, it doesn’t help the situation that Ace is still half-naked.

“Let me just grab some clothes,” Ace says apologetically, absent-mindedly reaching for the closet—

And realizing his mistake a split second too late as the mountain of clothes and shoes come crashing down from the stuffed closet and settle at his feet in an inelegant pile.

“Uh…” Ace says, feebly trying to come up with an explanation that doesn’t make him seem like a complete slob. “I didn’t have much time to clean—” he starts, turning around to face Felix.

Instead of standing up to leave like Ace expects him to, Felix _laughs_.

It’s an adorable sound that immediately breaks the ice, Ace joining in with a chuckle of his own as Felix snickers into his hand.

“I’m such a fucking klutz, I swear,” Ace says, a grin on his face as he watches Felix laugh.

“You are,” Felix agrees, still shaking with silent laughter. “Come here,” he adds with a fond smile, patting the spot next to him in invitation.

Ace hurries to comply, and as soon as he sits down next to Felix on the bed, the other immediately leans in for a kiss.

And just like last time, it sweeps Ace off his feet. The kiss is sweet but this time there’s an underlying passion beneath it, Felix’s lips insistent in the way they move against Ace’s own. When Ace groans and parts his lips, Felix only hesitates for a second before slipping his tongue in.

While Felix’s tongue explores Ace’s mouth, a hand comes up to rest on his chest and immediately grabs a handful of chest hair. The gesture emboldens Ace enough to place his hand over Felix’s heart and feel him up through the thin shirt.

Felix's chest is lean but firm and Ace tries not to get too carried away, happy to move at the other’s pace. Still, it's difficult to stop his hands from wandering, especially when there’s a content hum against his lips and Ace finds himself getting excited just from how into it Felix is.

When they pull apart, Ace is probably smiling like an idiot, but Felix gives him a soft look in return.

“I wanted to do that since we got to the restaurant,” Felix confesses, surprising Ace.

“You're not the only one,” he purrs, running his hands over Felix's defined shoulders. “Had to force myself to hold back, since we were in public.”

That’s far from subtle, but since Felix is practically groping his half-naked body, Ace doubts there's any question as to where this is going. Felix smiles bashfully but there’s a fire in his eyes, and combined with the disheveled hair it’s making anticipation pool in Ace’s gut.

“God, you're hot,” Ace says appreciatively. “Should be illegal to be this attractive.”

Instead of flustering from the compliment like he expects, Felix only keeps smiling.

“I should say the same,” Felix murmurs, eyes dropping down to Ace's naked chest. “You look very good.”

It's embarrassing how much the small and somewhat clunky compliment affects Ace. The treacherous towel, again, does nothing to hide his suddenly interested dick.

Of course, Felix notices, gaze traveling to Ace’s crotch as soon as Ace tries to discreetly adjust the fabric.

“Doesn't really hide much, this getup,” Ace jokes.

Instead of replying, Felix just _keeps looking_. For someone who usually prides himself on having absolutely no shame, even Ace has to admit that Felix quietly staring at the tenting towel is a little nerve-wracking.

“Can I take it off?” Felix finally asks, tugging on a corner of the cloth.

Ace swears he has a split-second stroke, staring dumbfounded as the supposedly inexperienced man gives him a pleading look of barely concealed lust. Idly wondering if this is a dream, Ace decides that he’ll take his chances with dream-Felix.

“Go ahead!” Ace says as soon as he regains his wits, even leaning back on the bed to give better access.

He would never have expected Felix to be so bold, but Ace sure as hell isn't complaining. Biting back a tacky comment about unwrapping presents, he pretends not to notice Felix’s hands tremble as he folds open the towel to reveal Ace’s half-hard dick.

It’s kind of cute to see the clear embarrassment on Felix’s face. His eyes dart away from Ace’s dick and back again, neck flushing red as he can’t seem to make up his mind about proceeding.

“Like what you see?” Ace teases, leaning back in to guide Felix’s lips into another kiss and hopefully ease whatever worries his nervous bedmate is mulling over.

Felix seems happy with the plan of action, kissing back with just as much interest as before, wordlessly reassuring Ace that he's still very much on board with continuing.

Running his hands over Felix’s back while they kiss, Ace laments the fact that he’s now stark naked while Felix is still fully dressed. He’s dying to see the body beneath the tight clothes, and one of his hands slips under the hem of Felix’s shirt to test the waters. Ace pulls away, about to ask if he can take off the garment, but Felix beats him to it.

“Can I…” Felix starts, but hesitates midway through.

“Hm?” Ace prompts when Felix isn’t continuing. “Come on, gorgeous,” he encourages.

Felix takes a pointed breath and runs a hand through his hair, the gesture seeming to calm.

“Can I suck you?” Felix manages to ask.

“Uh, hell yeah?” Ace grins, trying not to seem too giddy at the prospect of a blowjob from the hottest guy he’s ever met. “How do you want me?”

“Ehm," Felix falters, caught off guard by the question. “Should I…?” he trails off, vaguely gesturing to the floor.

Despite the wonderful mental image of Felix on his knees and with Ace's dick down his throat, Ace decides he should try to make the other as comfortable as possible.

“I can get up too,” Ace suggests.

He doesn’t wait for a reply, and Felix’s eyes widen momentarily as Ace’s dick bobs with the motion of standing up. Ace’s ego thrives on the attention, more than happy to be on display and having Felix's appreciative gaze roam over his entire body.

“Does this work for you?” Ace asks, stepping closer to Felix, mindful not to crowd him against the bed.

Again, it's a little weird to be standing naked in front of a still fully clad Felix. But as long as the shy man is comfortable, Ace sure as hell won't complain; doubly so with the promise of a blowjob.

“Yes,” Felix replies, seeming to address Ace’s dick from how intently he's looking down at it.

Ace realizes the position isn't the most ideal in the world, Felix's tall back making him hover much above dick-height from where he's sitting on the bed. But since he said he was fine, Ace once again decides not to worry.

“Whenever you're ready, beautiful,” Ace encourages, giving his cock a few lazy pumps with his fist while he waits for Felix's move.

Redness spreads over Felix's cheeks as he watches Ace touch himself—but he's not looking away. Ace basks in the attention, possessive thoughts flooding his mind as he realizes he’s essentially going to be Felix’s first, at least in this regard.

Eventually, Felix starts leaning down and Ace lets go of his dick, heart racing in anticipation of his hand being replaced by Felix's pretty mouth.

Right in front of his goal, Felix hesitates, staring at Ace’s dick as if intimidated by it. A slightly trembling hand comes up to grab the shaft and pull the foreskin back, and then Felix is swallowing audibly before guiding Ace’s cock to his lips.

Ace’s heart is hammering in his chest and he bites his lip to keep quiet as Felix’s somewhat chapped lips touch his tip in a kiss. But he can’t help the twitch his dick does, betraying just how eager he is for the contact.

Felix pulls back just the tiniest amount, intense eyes on Ace’s dick, as if he’s studying it. Ace isn’t usually insecure about his junk, but he can’t help but wonder if something’s wrong, maybe he tastes funky or—

“ _Fuck,_ ” Ace groans as all coherent thought leaves him when Felix, without warning, takes the tip into his mouth.

Felix clearly isn’t quite sure what to do next, kind of just sitting there with Ace’s dick resting on his tongue. But his mouth is warm and he looks so fucking good, face flushed from embarrassment and pink lips stretched around Ace’s cock.

“That's it, take your time,” Ace encourages.

Slowly, Felix gets to work, gently moving his head up and down. After seeming to get used to the sensation, he even hesitantly runs his tongue along the underside and over the slit.

“Mm, just like that,” Ace praises. “You're doing so well.”

Felix exhales through his nose at the soothing words, his rigid shoulders slumping forward as he finally seems to relax.

Felix pulls off and wets his lips before sinking back down, gradually taking more of Ace into his mouth. After a few attempts, Ace feels himself touch the back of Felix's throat and the other immediately gags, tensing from the unpleasant reflex.

“Don’t force yourself, babe,” Ace says, gently coaxing Felix’s head up with a hand on his chin. “Just keep doing what you were doing. It was so good,” he encourages.

And Felix proves himself to be a very quick study, pressing his lips tighter as he experimentally bobs his head over the glans.

“God, baby,” Ace grunts, legs trembling from the sudden pleasure. “That’s it, you’ve got it,” he praises, hand coming to rest in Felix’s hair.

Felix makes a pleased sound around the length and his eyes slide shut. He proceeds to go at it with enthusiasm, picking up the pace as he seems to find a rhythm.

“You’re a natural, sweetheart,” Ace groans, fingers running over Felix’s scalp as the man pleasures him.

He doesn’t care that as far as blowjobs go, it's kind of sloppy, and Felix doesn’t always remember to watch his teeth. Felix's eagerness more than makes up for the lack of experience, and the sight of him taking Ace's cock is obscene in the best way possible.

“So pretty on my cock,” Ace says, finding it increasingly difficult to not buck up into the welcoming heat.

Felix inhales sharply, clearly enjoying the praise, desperately trying to keep up the pace. Sensing Felix's movements are getting uncoordinated as he no doubt starts to tire out, Ace decides to push his luck.

“Can you take more?” Ace asks, a breathless tone in his voice.

Felix stills, his brow furrowing and eyes opening to look up at Ace in question. To clarify, Ace does a short thrust into Felix’s mouth.

Felix hums and nods just the tiniest bit, eyes sliding back shut and a hand coming to rest on Ace’s hip to pull him closer.

“ _Good,_ ” Ace groans, shallowly humping into Felix’s mouth, not wanting to risk choking the beautiful man. “You're so fucking good.”

There's a moan against his flesh, Felix's fingers digging into the chub around Ace's hip. Ace doesn't mind in the slightest, hypnotized by the sight of his cock disappearing and reappearing between glistening lips, fucking up into Felix's mouth while gently holding his head in place.

He stares at Felix’s gorgeous face, pale lashes fluttering across defined cheekbones and a flush covering his long nose. It's amazing how eager to please the reserved man is, and Ace tries to keep his wits about him, making sure to praise Felix for doing a good job as the pleasure slowly but surely builds up.

It’s not until Felix’s eyes open and those pretty blues look up at him with clear, unfiltered _want_ that Ace feels himself teetering alarmingly close to the edge.

“Shit,” Ace curses, pulling out of Felix’s mouth and bowing his head, squeezing his eyes shut to quell the impending orgasm.

“What’s wrong?” Felix asks, panic immediately in his voice.

“I got a little too excited,” Ace grins, eyes still closed but his hand resuming petting Felix’s hair in reassurance. “Just gimme a sec.”

“It… wasn’t terrible?” Felix has the _audacity_ to ask.

“Are you kidding?” Ace huffs out a laugh, opening his eyes to look into blue ones staring back at him in question. “ _No,_ it wasn’t terrible. It was great; you were great.”

Felix smiles and leans into the touch of Ace’s hand, looking satisfied with his performance. Feeling a little weird looming over him, Ace takes the opportunity to sink down on his knees between Felix’s spread legs, ignoring the creaking in said knees as he does so. Felix tenses at the shift in position, and Ace briefly stares at the inviting bulge in the other’s jeans before forcing his eyes away.

“How’re you feeling? Wanna keep going?” Ace asks, smoothing his hands over Felix’s denim-clad thighs.

“Yes,” Felix immediately responds, leaning down to place a sweet peck onto Ace’s smiling mouth.

“Please tell me I can take off your shirt now,” Ace murmurs teasingly against Felix’s lips, getting a muted chuckle in return.

“You can,” Felix agrees, before diving back in for another kiss.

Ace’s eager hands fumble for the hem of the shirt, much too impatient to finally see the man naked.

He pulls away from the kiss to encourage Felix to raise his arms, and then the shirt is sliding up to reveal smooth, pale skin that makes Ace’s mouth water. Flinging the shirt somewhere to the side, Ace only has a few precious seconds to take in the sight of lean muscle, rosy nipples and an inviting treasure trail before a hand on his chin is coaxing him back up into a kiss.

Feeling a little robbed of seeing Felix shirtless, Ace takes the opportunity to explore the skin with his hands while he languidly kisses the man. His fingers run over Felix’s broad back, circle around to find the hint of softness on his stomach, and trail further up through a light dusting of chest hair to squeeze a firm pec.

Ace hums in approval against Felix’s lips. He brushes his thumb over a nipple and is delighted to hear the muffled grunt he gets in response.

“Bad?” Ace pulls away enough to check, nuzzling his nose against Felix’s cheek.

“N-no,” Felix answers, breathless.

Pleased with the answer, Ace leaves a trail of kisses down Felix’s jaw and neck, pausing to lick over a sharp collarbone. Not able to resist the temptation, he leans back just enough to look down Felix’s torso.

“God, you’re stunning,” Ace murmurs appreciatively.

Felix doesn’t reply, but his arms wrap around Ace’s neck, gentle but demanding in the way they pull him back in to stop him from looking.

Ace gets the hint, no matter how much of a shame he thinks it is that the beautiful man is so self-conscious about his body. He kisses over the other collarbone, finding a peculiar dent in the bone that he lavishes with some extra kisses.

Felix seems to relax now that Ace isn’t ogling him, his hands running over Ace’s back in encouragement. Ace is happy to keep going, kissing up to one of Felix’s shoulders, before dragging his nose down and through thin chest hair, and eventually licking over a nipple.

Felix gasps, his hand grabbing onto Ace’s hair, and Ace is fully prepared for his head to get pulled away from the sensitive bud.

Instead, Felix’s fingers run carefully through his hair, not making any move to stop Ace from what he’s doing. Taking the wordless encouragement, Ace wraps his lips around the nipple, humming happily against the skin.

He lightly sucks on the nub to gauge Felix’s reaction, eventually daring to add more pressure when there’s no protests. Felix is clearly trying to stay quiet, his breathing heavy and hand twitching in Ace’s hair. When Ace shifts his technique to teasing the nipple with his tongue, he earns a cut-off, surprised moan in response.

The sound is like music to his ears and Ace groans in encouragement, pressing closer against Felix’s body and wrapping an arm around his midsection. In the new position, he can feel Felix’s hardness even through the thick denim and the realization only spurs him on.

“You’re so fucking hot,” Ace pauses just long enough to praise.

He keeps going, lightly sucking and experimentally adding a gentle scrape of teeth. In response, Felix’s hand grabs onto his hair and tugs, simultaneously pushing Ace closer and pulling him away, as if he can’t decide whether it’s too much or not enough. When Ace grabs the nipple between his teeth and flicks his tongue repeatedly over the tip, he gets a wonderful reaction.

Felix’s back arches into the touch, a choked sound escaping his lips, hips pressing desperately against Ace’s abdomen. And no matter how much he enjoys the display, Ace decides he’s teased the poor guy enough.

Pulling away from Felix’s nipple, Ace places a sweet kiss in the center of his chest, just above his heart. He can feel Felix’s frantic heartbeat under his lips and lingers for a moment, just to give the guy a breather.

“You know, I’m starting to see the appeal,” Ace says conversationally, nuzzling his cheek into Felix’s chest hair. “Feels cozy.”

Felix, understandably, takes a moment to reply. Ace lets him catch his breath, realizing it's kind of _nice_ to just rest his head on Felix's chest.

"Right," Felix eventually says, seeming to have regained his ability to speak. "I'm… glad?"

Ace huffs out an amused chuckle at the hesitant comment, before craning his neck to look up at Felix's face.

"Oh, I see how it is," Ace starts, a teasing tone in his voice, making Felix's brow furrow in confusion. "You're worried I'll get too fond of this position, because you want to be the little spoon."

A snicker escapes Felix's mouth and a smile replaces his frown.

"Maybe," Felix says, a sparkle of mischief in his eyes.

"Knew it," Ace grins, before turning his attention back to the task at hand. "Now, where were we?"

He trails a hand up Felix's thigh, hooking a finger under the waistband of his jeans in a silent question.

Felix hesitates, even visibly gulping, before he seems to psyche himself up enough to manage a nod.

"Perfect," Ace says, trying to contain his excitement.

He kisses down Felix's torso while his fingers make quick work of the jeans button. Felix's skin is incredibly smooth and Ace gets a little sidetracked, Felix flinching as he drags his lips and beard over a rib.

"Ticklish?" Ace asks, leaving the area alone for now.

"A little," Felix says, and a small part of Ace wants to jab his fingers into the man's sides just to test the truth of that statement.

Thankfully, he has more urgent matters to attend to. While unzipping Felix's pants, Ace brushes over the hard bulge underneath.

"Looks like Christmas came early this year," Ace can't resist teasing, shooting a wink up at Felix.

Felix snorts at the cheesy comment, but the snarkiness quickly gives way to a surprised moan as Ace unashamedly goes to grab at his junk.

"I can't wait to open my present," Ace says with a purr, palming the erection through thick denim.

Felix’s hips lift up into the touch and Ace feels his shoulder being grabbed, not hard enough to hurt but firm enough to get the message across to hurry it up.

Happy to oblige, Ace starts pulling down Felix’s jeans. After slight maneuvering and some help from Felix, he eventually manages to remove the sinfully tight pants, exposing long legs and black designer boxers underneath.

“Gorgeous,” Ace says, placing a kiss on Felix’s knee in reassurance.

He tries to take in the sight of pale skin and surprisingly muscular legs, but his gaze inadvertently drifts to the front of the boxers, a delicious outline visible through the strained fabric. Felix squirms under the scrutiny and his length twitches in the confinement of his underwear, effectively shredding the last of Ace’s willpower.

He grabs the waistband of the boxers and tugs, eager to remove the last barrier of clothing between them. Felix immediately assists in the endeavor, lifting his hips and impatiently pushing down on Ace’s hand, the position causing Ace to get a very nice eyeful when Felix’s dick springs free.

Ace’s hands still on Felix’s hips, momentarily forgetting what he was doing. The sight of Felix’s dick bobbing in front of his face makes his mouth water as if on reflex, wanting nothing more than to take the flushed tip into his mouth to taste him—

A hand pushes more demandingly on his and Ace snaps back to reality, hurrying to pull Felix’s underwear all the way down to free his legs.

“Fuck, baby,” Ace murmurs in appreciation, not bothering to hide the lust in his voice as he grabs Felix’s twitching dick and revels in the feeling of it in his hand. “You’re so beautiful. Absolutely perfect.”

Felix’s response is a series of shaky breaths and quiet moans, grasping the sheets to steady himself. Ace takes his time exploring and getting used to the shape and feel of Felix’s dick, sensing the other’s eyes on him as he leisurely strokes up and down the shaft. He works foreskin over the flushed red tip, occasionally pausing to brush along the ridge with his thumb or lightly squeeze the base, trying to find out what Felix enjoys.

As far as dicks go, Ace usually isn’t picky, but he can’t deny that Felix’s is just as pretty as its owner. He’s bigger than Ace expected, feeling heavy in his hand, the rosy color a gorgeous contrast to pale skin and light brown hairs framing the area. Felix’s tip is already so wet and Ace is dying for a taste.

“Can I blow you?” Ace asks, forcing his eyes away from the delectable sight in front of him in favor of looking up at a flushed face and lust-blown pupils. “Please?” Ace adds, tilting Felix’s dick towards his mouth, throwing subtlety out of the window right along with his dignity.

“Shit,” Felix curses softly, hips stuttering into Ace’s grip as his self-control momentarily slips. “Yes. _Fuck,_ yes.”

The breathless permission only fuels Ace’s own excitement, thrilled to see Felix so desperate for him. Not wasting any more time, he takes Felix into his mouth to lap up a droplet of pre.

Felix lets out a choked moan and Ace can’t help groaning right along, the salty taste absolutely delicious on his tongue, and it’s _been so fucking long_ —

“God, babe,” Ace pulls away to comment. “You taste incredible,” he praises, placing a few kisses along the ridge.

“Please,” Felix says, a trembling hand finding its way into Ace’s hair.

“I’ve got you, baby,” Ace reassures, flashing up a quick smile.

Sinking back down on Felix’s cock, there’s only one goal on Ace’s mind.

He’s going to make it the best goddamn blowjob Felix has ever experienced.


End file.
